Messages to the Church – Pt 6
Revelation 3:1-6 (NLT)
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:
“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
4 “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
6 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
Revelation 1:4-6 (NLT)
4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia.
Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.
All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
Jesus has the fullness of the Spirit and all authority to diagnose His church.
John 15:26-27 (NLT)
26 “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
THREE WAYS JESUS AWAKENS HIS CHURCH THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT:
1. The Holy Spirit illuminates your heart to see Jesus clearly.
2. The Holy Spirit strengthens you to hold firm allegiance to Jesus.
Matthew 25:31-34 (NLT)
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
3. The Holy Spirit shapes your purpose as you prepare for Jesus’ return.
SMALL GROUP MEETING OUTLINE
Where your faith intersects with real life!
Reconnect:
Each person shares a recent high and low from their life.
Explore:
Review the message notes.
Big Idea: Jesus awakens the church to prepare for His return.
Consider:
Choose one or two questions for your Group to discuss as time allows.
▶ Read John 15:26-27. Pastor Matt shared: The Holy Spirit illuminates the hearts of people to understand the message of Jesus Christ. How do you give your attention to the Holy Spirit? Have you ever pretended that you were awake?
▶ How do we best prepare for the return of Jesus when we don’t know the day or the hour? How do you guard against indifference?
▶ How has the Holy Spirit helped you see Jesus more clearly in a season when your faith felt dull or distracted?
Activate:
Spend a moment in silence to consider your response, then share with the Group.
What will you choose to do this week to be ready for Jesus’ return?
Prayer:
Thank God for the highs and lift up the lows.
Lord, help us to keep watch, stay alert, and to not be deceived. In Jesus’ name, Amen.