Finishing The Work: A Tale of Two Kingdoms (Week 4)

Thanks, Raquel.

What has Jesus created you for and called you to do that you've left undone?

I have this recurring dream.

And it comes back every few months, sometimes every few weeks.

I'm back at Vanderbilt University.

I'm up to bat.

The pitcher grooves one.

And I hit the ball on the sweet spot of the bat.

It's a line drive to right center.

It's kind of a one-hopper up against the fence, bounces back into the playing field.

It's an easy, easy stand-up double.

So I'm rounding first and I'm heading to second.

The right fielder picks up the ball.

He's throwing it into second base.

The shortstop is waiting for the ball to come.

And I'm running in quicksand between first and second.

I'm in slow motion.

Now, in the dream, I never wake up, I never am out, and I never am safe.

I just never get to second base and then I wake up.

I don't know if some of you can psychoanalyze that dream, but here's the way I look at it.

There's always like unfinished business hanging over my head.

And there's just like no way I'm ever going to complete it.

Now, I don't know if I'd classify that dream as a nightmare, but my dream does capture something that I think we can all understand.

It is the fear of unfinished business.

A basement to remodel.

Or a fitness plan to complete or a garage to clean.

I mean, at first there's excitement about that, but then life gets busy, and months later the project is still sitting there unfinished.

Now we might be able to laugh about unfinished projects around the house.

Maybe your spouse isn't laughing so much about those, but God in Revelation chapter 3 asks a much more serious question.

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

What happens if a church?

And what happens if the individuals in the church leave the tasks assigned by Jesus undone?

I don't think you want to stand before God someday with your work undone, because that would be a nightmare.

So I asked the question again: what has Jesus created you for and called you to do that you've left undone?

And that's where some of us are.

And that's right where one of the churches in Revelation found themselves.

So open your Bibles today to Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

And we're continuing our study through this last book of the Bible in our series called A Tale of Two Kingdoms.

So this book, Revelation, wrongly understood, can be scary because it deals with end time stuff, end time crises.

But rightly understood, it should bring comfort and hope to God's people.

So Revelation chapter 1 starts with this view of Jesus as the conquering king whose reign is never threatened by the chaos in the world.

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

And then in chapters two and three, Jesus addresses seven churches in Asia Minor, and that is present-day Turkey.

Over the past two weeks, Pastor Joe has guided us through the first four of those churches.

And today we're going to consider the next two: Sardis and Philadelphia.

So here we are.

The world is in trouble, the trouble's on the horizon, and Jesus wants his churches to be ready for what is coming.

He wants them to be equipped so they can endure.

So when you think about it, what's going on with these letters to the churches?

Jesus is strengthening the churches that are under pressure.

And the big idea is that Jesus preserves his church sometimes through comfort, sometimes through correction, and that's what's happening here in these letters to the churches.

Today, the church is in Sardis and Philadelphia, and he's especially interested in their works.

And he's interested in our works.

And he's asking us, What have I created you for and called you to do that you've left undone?

Because you see in verse 3, he's going to say this, I have not found your works complete.

So when you hear that, all the warning signs should be going off on the dashboard.

One of these churches had stopped short of doing what God had called them to do.

Now, Pastor Joe gave us a way to view these letters, the structure of these letters to each one of the churches.

And it's the analogy of a doctor-patient relationship.

Jesus is the doctor, the church is his patient.

So we have the credentials, the diagnosis, the prescription, the stakes, the prognosis.

And we're going to go through each one of these churches with that schematic, and then I'm saving five quick application points at the end.

So the credentials to Sardis.

Why should we bother listening to Jesus?

Verse 1 says, and to the angel of the church and Sardis, write these words.

The words of him, that's how Jesus refers to himself, the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

Now, Pastor Joe has taught us that seven is the number of fullness or perfection.

So this phrase seven spirits doesn't mean there are seven holy spirits.

It means that there's the fullness of God's Spirit that Jesus sends to his churches.

And now we learn from the study of Revelation chapter one that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.

Now, the word angel means messenger.

So does each church have a particular assigned angel that helps that church accomplish God's purposes?

Maybe.

Or is the word angel or messenger here a reference to the primary overseer, pastor, elder of that church?

Maybe.

We just don't know.

Scholars kind of debate what this means.

But here's what we do know: Jesus is making it clear here that he's in charge.

And he says, I have sent the fullness of my spirit to these churches, and I'm holding these churches and their messengers in my hand.

So Jesus has authority.

So he has the right to diagnose what's going on in these churches.

So here's the diagnosis to Sardis.

Like, what does Jesus see when he sees Sardis?

The good, the bad, the ugly.

What's that?

And here's what he says about Sardis.

In verse one, I know your works.

You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

For I have not, verse two, I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

Now it's interesting.

Historically, Sardis had a reputation of being a city that was hard to attack.

It was built high on a mountain and had these cliffs around it.

And the people thought, no enemy is going to be able to climb up and get us.

So they stopped being watchful.

But Persian soldiers found a way up the cliffs.

They captured the city.

300 years after that, it happened again.

So the idea is like Sardis looks safe, but it's not safe.

The city had a reputation without the reality.

And so did the church.

Jesus says, You have the reputation for being alive, but you're dead.

They look strong, but underneath the surface, something is wrong.

Something's dying.

I mean, think about it.

If there was a Google review, it's a five-star church.

The other six churches in Revelation would have looked at that church and said, man, we want to be like the church at Sardis.

And they had the best location.

I mean, it's right off the interstate.

And there's an on-off ramp that actually works.

It's open.

They got gifted musicians and vocalists.

They got great preaching, especially that young bald guy.

Great children, youth, young adult programs.

They have a reputation for being alive.

But according to the attending physician who sees everything, Sardis has a reputation without the reality.

It's hype without health.

I just want to say CBC can look really good when people drive by.

Man, there's always a lot of cars in that parking lot.

And we can shine on social media.

We can have a great reputation, but what's the reality?

Is it hype without health?

What really matters is what Jesus thinks.

And he says about Sardis, you are dead.

For I have not found your works complete.

Unfinished business.

You've left things undone.

You are stuck in the quicksand between first and second days.

We can be busy, but not busy about the most important things.

We can neglect the relationships, the opportunities that are right in front of us.

Jesus doesn't just see how much we've done, he also sees how much we've left undone.

I'm scared right now.

Okay, let's just keep going.

So what is the prescription?

I feel better now.

What is the prescription to Sardis?

Based on the diagnosis, the church gets instruction.

So here are the instructions to the church at Sardis.

Verse 2.

He says, wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die.

And then in verse 3, remember then what you have received and heard, keep it and repent.

So remember, he said, you've got the reputation of being alive, but you're dead.

That's the bad news.

But here's the good news.

What do we know about Jesus?

Jesus can raise the dead.

When he says, wake up or come forth, resurrection happens.

So the church of Sardis may be dead, but they're not beyond a restoration.

So Jesus is the one who tells spiritually sleepy churches to wake up.

Now we're going to come back to this later when we look at the applications for ourselves.

But right now we've looked at the credentials, the diagnosis, the prescription.

What are the stakes?

Tassardis.

What's at stake if we don't listen to Jesus?

Verse 3, he says, 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.

I remember when I was in seminary studying to be a pastor, we were robbed in Memphis, Tennessee.

I had a SEC championship watch and ring from my baseball days at Vanderbilt and two championship rings from pro teams that I was on in the California League and the Southern League, all stolen.

And the guy who stole that stuff didn't write us a note and say, hey, I'm on the way over to rob you.

Jesus is saying that's how it is when I return.

The idea is like you don't read Revelation trying to figure out the date or the time of his return.

Because he tells us clearly we won't know when he's coming.

But verse 3 may not be actually about his second coming.

Jesus is likely telling them, I am going to come spiritually against you in judgment if you don't wake up.

So this means Jesus can come against us in judgment, or he could come for us in blessing.

So are the works of our church complete?

How do you want Jesus to come?

Are your works complete?

Are my works complete?

How will it be for us when Jesus surprises us with his coming?

Will he come against us in judgment or for us in blessing?

See, I want to tell you, the stakes are high.

For you, for me, for this church.

So what's the prognosis to Sardis?

Because in each letter there's a promise to the one who conquers.

Verse 4, he says, 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.

I mean, the highest blessing could be to experience the presence of Jesus as you walk through your life.

And he's saying, your reputation may have exceeded your reality, but you can still finish well.

Because some in this church have not soiled their garments.

It means some in this church are living pure and holy lives.

They're worthy to walk with Jesus because they're dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before his throne.

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

This book of life, like what's up with that?

It occurs five times in the book of Revelation.

And the idea is that the names of all of those who conquer, all of those who overcome, all of those who persevere, were written in this book of life since the foundation of the world.

Now, some people wonder when it says, I will never blot his name out of the book.

It means, does that mean I could possibly lose my salvation?

That my name could be erased.

And no.

Think about it, it's actually an assurance that your name will not be erased from the book.

Because the names have been in the book since before the foundation of the world.

So Jesus goes on to promise here, I will confess his name before my father.

And this ought to be a great comfort to us because the world may forget your name.

But Jesus won't.

And he says, I will confess your name before my Father in heaven.

So you don't hear these words with fear, hear these words with hope.

Jesus will keep you to the end.

So Jesus looks at the works of Sardis and he sees them incomplete and he challenges them to wake up and finish the work.

Now, what about Philadelphia?

Well, here are his credentials to the Church of Philadelphia.

Verse 7.

And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia, right?

And here's how Jesus identifies himself: the words of the Holy One, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens.

So all of Revelation is really about the kingdom of God versus the kingdom of darkness.

And really, if you think about it, the whole Bible is about the kingdom of God.

And Jesus, as the descendant of the ancient king of Israel, David, says, I hold the keys to the kingdom.

Now remember, our series is called A Tale of Two Kingdoms.

We are either living in slavery in the kingdom that belongs to the enemies of God, or we're living in freedom in the kingdom that belongs to God.

And Jesus says, I'm the one who has unlocked and thrown open the door to the kingdom for the nations to come in: red, yellow, black, and white, rich, poor, young, old.

And nothing can stop me from opening that door.

And I'm the one who determines who comes into the kingdom and who does not.

Now, this congregation in Philadelphia is facing opposition from the local Jewish synagogue.

We'll see that later.

And they may be saying, we Jewish people define who God's people are.

And Jesus says, no, no, no.

I'm defining who God's people are.

These Jewish people may be shutting the door socially to the believers in that community.

And Jesus says, they can't shut any door that I open.

So those are the credentials.

What about the diagnosis to Philadelphia?

Verse 8.

He says, 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 little power, and yet you have kept my word and not denied my name.

So just like he says to Sardis, he says to Philadelphia, I know your works.

But he doesn't follow it up with, Your works are incomplete.

Their works, Philadelphia's works, are seen as complete.

They're being completed, they're finishing well.

And the idea is that he has opened the door of ministry for them, and he's giving them an opportunity to serve, and they will seize that opportunity.

They're not just going to stand there in front of an open door of ministry and not go through.

They are seizing the day.

Now notice that he says about this church in Philadelphia is they have little power.

And that's really not a rebuke.

Jesus is just stating facts here.

He's saying that they're small, perhaps, they're poor, perhaps, maybe both.

You know, their Google reviews aren't very good.

Philadelphia doesn't have the reputation like church in Sardis does, but they had the reality.

And I think the important thing for us to remember here is don't confuse unimpressive with unimportant.

Because the church that had little power in the eyes of the world was the church that Jesus greatly loved.

And that's a good word for those of us in the room that feel like, you know, what do I have going for me?

You don't have to be impressive to be impactful.

You don't have to have great strength to create great stir.

You just need to walk through the door that Jesus has opened for you.

Verse 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.

Now the synagogue of Satan evidently is the local Jewish community there in Philadelphia.

And they claim to be the people of God.

They claim to be the true Israel.

And he says, Here, no, they're not.

And they may have been persecuting this little church and its members.

And Jesus says, I'm going to come and I'm going to do something in them and for you.

I'm going to make these Jews come and humbly acknowledge that it's the church.

It's the followers of Jesus who are the ones who have been chosen by God and who are loved by God.

And that's good news for some of us who are being hurt, abused, accused, ridiculed, dismissed by family members and friends, maybe at work.

It's like you just keep being faithful to Jesus.

And he will take care of your reputation.

And some of those people may someday come to that point and time in their lives when they realize wait a minute.

Jesus loves that big guy.

He loves that man.

He loves that woman.

And maybe I need to follow Jesus too.

Maybe I need to follow him too.

Now, even though there's not a rebuke for this church, there is still a prescription for this church.

It's kind of like when you go to your doctor for a physical and he says, Hey, everything looks great.

Keep up the good work.

The prescription of Philadelphia, verse 11, I am coming soon.

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

Now, I'm coming soon here might not be referring to the second coming.

It may be Jesus saying, I'm going to come soon, shortly to you, but The power of the Spirit to help you in your trial that's about to come upon you.

Now, the command here, hold fast what you have, it means that they're already doing something right.

He's saying you have the right stuff.

You're completing your work, so keep going, hang on, hold on.

And that's exactly what some of us need to hear right now in this room.

Hold fast what you have.

See, maybe your marriage blew up, but you haven't quit on Jesus.

And he says, don't quit ever.

Keep on.

Or maybe you have a loved one who's battling some kind of a debilitating disease.

But your disappointment with God and how he's answered your prayers doesn't mean that you've stopped hanging on to Jesus.

So keep holding on to him.

Maybe some kid at school or some colleague at work has mocked you for your love for Jesus.

But you keep loving Jesus still.

And he's saying here, keep loving him even more.

This same Jesus who has opened the door for you, caused you to keep obeying him when walking through that door becomes costly.

And he says here, in the life to come, you will have a crown that in worship you can cast at Jesus' feet because he is worthy.

Now, what are the stakes for Philadelphia?

Well, he says that there's an hour of trial that's coming.

Look at verse 10.

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

Now, some people have used this verse to teach that the church is going to be raptured someday, taken out of the world to heaven, and therefore protected by God from the great trial or the great tribulation that's coming.

But I don't think that's what this verse means.

This was written to a specific church to prepare them for a trial that they would face 2,000 years ago.

We have an article on our blog today that explains why this verse probably doesn't apply to the rapture of the church.

But the idea is that the stakes are real.

A trial is coming.

But Jesus promises, I'm going to keep my people spiritually safe, and I'm going to strengthen them in their faith as they patiently endure.

Now, what's the prognosis to Philadelphia?

I love this.

Verse 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and 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.

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

Historically, the city of Philadelphia had lived through a series of earthquakes, and some of those actually destroyed parts of the city.

And so those people lived in like a constant fear that the building that I'm in might collapse someday.

So when Jesus says to them, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, he's promising them something that they long for, and that is security and stability.

And remember, this church was said to be a church with little power.

This is a church that's not being applauded.

But Jesus says, I'm going to put my name on you.

The name of God, the name of the city of God, his own new name.

In other words, your earthly reputation might be small, but I am giving you a lasting identity.

You will share in my name.

You will share in my fame.

And you know what?

That's good news, because the world may not know your name, but that's okay.

If you belong to Jesus, he knows your name.

And he's promised that he's putting his name on you, and that makes you a somebody, even if nobody else thinks you are.

You know, Pastor Joe has been teaching us that Jesus intends for every church in every age to be challenged and encouraged by these letters.

And that means that these two letters, to Sardis Philadelphia, are really to CBC.

But I want you to understand something.

These letters aren't just aimed at the leaders, the elders of a church.

The letters are aimed also at each member of a church, each attender of a church.

Which means the letters are aimed at me, the letters are aimed at you personally, because who you are determines who we are.

And if you do not complete the works that Jesus has assigned for you to do, then we as a church will not complete the works that Jesus has assigned for us to do.

The sin of commission is doing what God forbids.

Lying, cheating, stealing.

The sin of omission means that we fail to do what God commands.

We should have forgiven, but we decided we're going to make them pay.

We should have prayed, but we binged on Netflix.

We should have given, but we spent it on ourselves.

It says in James chapter 4, whoever knows the right thing to do and doesn't do it, to him it's sin.

James 4 · chapter mention

So Jesus says to Sardis, I have found your works incomplete.

He doesn't say, look at all the terrible things you're doing.

He says, look at what you're not finishing.

And maybe that's where some of us are here today.

We are committing some huge, scandalous sin, but we're leaving some important things undone.

Jesus has been opening doors that you're not walking through.

Like a relationship you need to repair.

Or a neighbor you need to reach.

A responsibility you've been avoiding, a mission you need to go on, a letter or song or poem or article or book that he wants you to write.

What if the most serious sin in your life isn't something you did, but something you didn't do?

It says in Ephesians 2.10, we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Jesus created you for good works.

What good work has he created you for that you've left undone?

I want you to hear from someone in our church who has accomplished really a lot in his life, academically, professionally, personally.

He's an older gentleman like me.

He said, Hey, you can share my part of my story if you just don't share my name.

But I want you to hear something.

He's not looking back at his life saying, you know, I've done my part.

He's still asking, hey Jesus, what do you have for me next?

And his story makes me ask personally, what is Jesus inviting me into in this season of my life?

Just a few of his words.

You can read his entire testimony on our blog.

He says, God uses everything, our careers, our successes, our failures, and our struggles to prepare us for what he wants us to do.

I've now been on six international mission trips, been involved in co-leading a small group, providing spiritual care at a local hospital.

God brought these opportunities into my life and gave me the nudge to get involved.

Why have I stayed engaged and on mission?

I'd rather wear out than rust out.

I don't want to waste my gifts.

I've discovered a joy in serving, whether that's swinging a hammer or sharing the gospel with people that don't know Jesus.

And he says to us, God has something for you to do for the kingdom.

If you just make yourself available and have the courage to say yes, even though it feels scary for you, or you think you're unqualified, God will lead you to his best plan.

What are you missing if you don't walk in his plan?

You are missing out on doing what you were created for.

I love the fact that this man has already done great things with his life, but he still has the pedal to the metal.

Not in cruise control.

He does not want to go to heaven with incomplete.

Now, at 4 o'clock this afternoon, we're going to have an opportunity to learn about the work that God is calling us to do as a church over the next five years.

The Browns game will be well in hand by then.

So please don't miss this meeting.

Pastor Joe and our leaders have worked really hard to get this vision to share with you.

And you know what?

You might just find out how you can contribute to the work of this church so we can all finish well, and you personally can stand before Jesus someday and hear him say, Well done.

Now, when I personally hear messages like this, it is easy for me to say, suck it up, buttercup.

Get busy, do more, try harder, be better, finish well, get going, Rick.

As if it all depends on me.

But that's not the gospel.

That's not by grace, through faith in Christ for works.

So please don't try to complete your work through self-effort.

Because the gospel says that we complete our work for Christ through Christ.

Now, before we get to our closing applications today, I want to spend a little time helping you understand how Jesus helps us finish well.

You've heard these three P's from me before.

Jesus is our pattern.

Before Jesus ever calls us to complete the work that God has given us, he shows us what finishing well looks like.

Remember what he said, my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

And then in John 14, he prays to his Father in heaven, I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

And then when Jesus is hanging on the cross, dying for our sins, he says, It is finished.

So Jesus doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk.

He finished the work.

So he's our pattern.

He shows us what finishing well looks like, but he's more than our pattern, he's our pardon.

Because every single one of us have unfinished work.

Nobody gets this right all the time.

And in some ways it's okay because we can be forgiven, but in other ways it's not okay because we gotta do it.

But the idea is that we fall short, we sin.

There are things that Jesus asks us to do that we leave undone, opportunities missed, people neglected, time wasted.

We're not ever going to stand before God and say, like, Lord, look at everything that I've accomplished.

No, we're gonna have to stand before God and say, Lord, look at everything Jesus accomplished.

We stand at the cross and we say, Jesus finished the work that I could never finish.

And he paid the penalty for my lack of finishing.

He died the death that I should have died.

And his finished work on the cross becomes the ground for our forgiveness, and his perfect obedience becomes our righteousness.

That's why we're clothed in white.

But he's more than our pattern and pardon, he's our power.

The gospel doesn't say Jesus has finished the work, now it's your turn to try harder.

When we trust Christ as our leader and forgiver, he sends his Holy Spirit to live inside us, the fullness of his spirit.

So the same Jesus who calls us to complete our work gives us the strength to do it.

So again, I ask you, what has Jesus created you for and called you to do that you've left undone?

Now, if we focus on the commands of Jesus here, those those imperative verbs in these verses, we can discover a process for how to finish the work that God has planned for us.

So there's five quick commands wake up, turn back, dig deep, walk through, hold fast.

Wake up, he says.

That's in verse 2.

And you got to ask yourself a question like, what's caused me to go to sleep on the job?

Maybe for some of you, it's been climbing the ladder of success only to find out it's leaning against the wrong wall.

Maybe it's thinking, hey man, I've paid my dues, I've done enough, it's time for me to rest.

Or maybe it's just deciding, you know, because Christian life is just too hard.

He says, Wake up.

And then he says, turn back.

That's in verse 3, which is repent.

What is distracting me that I need to repent of?

And maybe it's greed.

Like you're looking for the next thing you can buy to satisfy your soul.

Maybe it's lust.

You're scrolling through TikTok.

Maybe it's sloth, you're spending hours watching Netflix.

Turn back to God and then dig deep.

And that's in verse 2.

He says, strength in what remains.

So the idea is, how do I draw strength from Jesus?

And maybe it's like, you know, I just got to get back into God's word.

Maybe it means I've got to pray more.

Maybe it's asking another believer to walk with you through life.

Dig deep.

How will I draw strength from Jesus?

And then walk through.

And that's in verse 8.

He says, I have set before you an open door.

So where has Jesus opened the door in front of you?

What person keeps coming to mind when you think about unfinished work?

What opportunity keeps appearing before you?

Walk through it.

And then hold fast.

What must I keep doing until the day I die?

Because you see, once you have a Savior to love and a faith to believe and works to do, never let go.

Retire?

I mean, do you want to stand before Jesus and say, hey, here's a list of the vacations I took?

Here's the cars I drove.

Here's the golf courses I played.

No.

You gotta say, I know what he's called me to do, and I'm gonna do it until I take my last breath.

Hold fast.

And keep going until you die.

Wake up, turn back, dig deep, walk through, hold fast.

And again, that question What has Jesus created you for and called you to do that you've left undone?

Remember my dream about never arriving safely at second base?

I was thinking about that.

One day, every one of us who belong to Jesus will arrive safely.

Not at second base, but all the way home.

And not because we finished everything perfectly, but because Jesus finished the work that actually saves us.

And Jesus Christ will help us round the bases and do the good things that he's called us to do before we go home.

And you know what?

Following Jesus Christ is never a nightmare.

So stay close to Jesus and love him and do what he says and walk through the open doors that he presents to you and finish your work.

Lord, I pray that you would help us to do this in Jesus' name.

Amen.