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These churches were dealing with Real Historical issues.

These truths speak to the church at any time, age or situation.

The church at Ephesus was a in its early days a very Strong church.

It obviously had an Impact on its Society considering the riots in Acts 19.

What does Jesus tell this church?

1. Jesus Knows His Church.

Jesus is in the Midst of His church.

He knows us as Individuals and knows our church.

2. Jesus Knows Our Deeds.

The church in Ephesus was Outstanding because of its ability to Distinguish between True and False apostles and its Refusal to Tolerate those who were false.

This church did not tolerate Wickedness or wicked people.

It is good to Love what Jesus loves and Hate what Jesus hates.

These Christians are Not Quitters when the going gets tough.

3. Jesus Knows Our Defects.

Jesus not only sees What we do. Jesus also sees Why we do it.

They had put so much emphasis on correct teaching and orthodox doctrine that they Neglected the work of Love.

Because Jesus calls them to Action we know that it is Possible to get this Balance between knowing and living the Truth and living it in Love.

We need to hear the Promise of Jesus Christ:

“I will Build my Church and the gates of Hades will Not Overcome it.“ (Matt 16:18)

Why does it matter that Jesus Christ is Building His Church?

It Matters:

1. Because of the Builder.

Who is the builder of the church today? Jesus Christ.

The one who is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe said He will build His Church.

Because Jesus builds his church there is Nothing like the Church, Neither will there be Anything like the Church.

It Matters:

2. Because of What He is Building.

What is He building? His Church.

He brought the church into Existence.

This is not Your church, it is not My church, it is Jesus’ church.

The NT describes the church as a Fellowship, a Family, as the Body of Christ, as the Bride of Christ, as an Army.

Jesus gives His church what we need to be Victorious.

When the church Advances, the gates of hell, will not be able to hold it back. There has been no Revocation of this Promise.

What are some of the characteristics of the last days?

From our last study:

1. We are in the Last Days Now.

2. Not everyone will Recognise the Last Days.

3. Some will Reject the Reality of the Last Days.

4. A time of Moral Collapse.

Reasons for moral collapse:

a. Misplaced Love.

b. Unhealthy Relationships.

5. A time of Hollow Spirituality.

Scene in:

a. Symbolism over Substance.

2 major ways:

1. Traditionism.

No longer just Compromise but the Denial of Truth.

2. Alternative-ism.

They have No Power to deal with our greatest Need.

b. Spirituality based on Deceit.

Many people are being Deceived.

6. How are we to Respond to all this?

a. Seek out and follow Faithful Mentors.

b. Be Obsessed with the Truth.

c. Tell others about Jesus.

d. Walk the Walk.

Christians should be Different.

We should be people of Truth.

We should be people of Hope.

No one knows the exact Date and Time of the Second Coming of Christ.

Matt 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even

the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

The NT does refer a lot to the Future.

What are some of the characteristics of the last days?

1. We are in the Last Days Now.

Every Second that passes we are Closer to the Second Coming of Christ.

2. Not everyone will Recognise the Last Days.

Many will be Unaware they are Living in the last days.

The days Preceding the Return of Christ will look Normal.

3. Some will Reject the Reality of the Last Days.

There will be Scoffers.

God is Giving people everyone Opportunity to Turn to him.

He is in No Hurry to bring about Judgement.

Yet Judgement will Come.

What Time is it?

It is Time to be Fair Dinkum with God.

It is Time to let the Lord be Lord of our Lives.

Human History is full of examples of Groups that have Fixated on the end times.

With all the information that seeks our attention, How do we Sort through the noise and Decide what to believe about the Future?

What does Jesus have to say About the Future?

1. Knowing about the Future is Important.

Jesus wants us to have an Awareness of what is going on.

He Emphasises the importance of Being Alert.

2. Knowing about the Future helps us in our Daily Lives.

What are we to be Doing as we see it Coming?

- Draw Near to God.

- Hold unswervingly to the Hope we Profess.

- Consider how we may Spur one another On.

- Let us Not Give Up Meeting Together.

- Let us Encourage one another.

3. Knowing about the Future gives us an Eternal Perspective.

God has a Great future Planned for us in Christ.

We can walk into the future with Confidence and without Fear because we Walk with Jesus Christ.

Last week we saw that Jonah held the most successful one-day crusade in history. 120,000 repent and turn to God, 100% of the city.

2 underlying issues that form part of the Jonah Complex:

1. Jonah wanted a Human sized God.

- Jonah is Angry. He is angry that God Isn’t Like him.

- Inspite of what the Scriptures reveal about God,

Jonah could still only picture a god Like Himself.

- God shows Jonah, He is Not like Jonah Thinks He is.

There is a God, your not Him, so Get Over It.

2. Jonah had a Callused Heart.

- Jonah had a spiritual Heart Condition.

- Jonah tries to Ignore God.

- Jonah was Happy when he Received an undeserved benefit.

- He was Unhappy that Others also Received grace.

- Jonah cared more about Himself, than he did about an Entire City.

He forgot that the people of Nineveh were Created in the Image of God Too.

God dealt Patiently and Gracefully with Jonah:

- Because He Loved Jonah.

- God’s Chastening of Jonah was not just to make him feel bad.

- God’s Desire was for him to Change.

God deals Patiently and Gracefully with us too:

- God wants to Change us today.

- God wants to Revive us.

- Thank God he sends His Spirit to Indwell us and Enable us to be Overcomers, to be Transformed, to be enabled to Serve.

What are the necessary things for a Spiritual Awakening?

1. The Supremacy of God’s Word.

There can only be Personal, Cultural and Spiritual renewal, when God’s Word is Supreme in 2 principle ways:

a. In Our Lifestyles.

God’s word Remained the same, Jonah’s Attitude Changed.

That will effect our Choices, Attitudes, and Actions.

b. In Our Message.

Our generation desperately needs to Hear the word of God even if it makes them feel Uncomfortable.

2. Simple Obedience.

The dangers of Legalism are Rules, Rituals, Regulations.

Those can be very Dangerous in our Lives and in the Church.

We need to Distinguish between Legalism and Simple Obedience.

3. Genuine Repentance.

Repentance means that we were going in one Direction doing our Own thing, Ignoring truth, getting by on Feelings and Ignoring God, and we Decide to Turn from that and go in God’s Direction and Follow Him.

Where did the Repentance Start in the account of Jonah? With Jonah.

Revival starts with You and I­­ Repenting.

The world goes on as it does because that is its Nature,

most people are made By the Times.

We must become Salt and Light again

because God’s people are made For the Times.

Jonah Ran Away from God and tried to Escape God’s will.

God sends a Storm into his life to get his Attention.

But God is Not Finished with him yet.

The Great Fish teaches us 2 Great Truths:

1. How Serious God is about Sin.

This was a Miracle. The story of Jonah, is a Type of Jesus Christ.

a. Sin has Consequences.

God cannot be Mocked. What we Sow, we Reap.

b. God wants to Fumigate our Sin.

The storm helped Jonah to stop Running from God

The great fish helped Jonah to start Thinking about God

2. How Great God’s Grace is.

God’s chastening does Not mean that God is Trying to get Even.

Rather it shows us that God Loves us.

After we have worked all our lives, when we come to the end of life all that is left is God.

Jonah exercised a Decision to change Direction, to Consciously and Willing follow the Lord.

When God calls us to do something we have 2 simple choices:

1. We can either Believe Him, and Obey Him.

2. Or we can Rebel and Run.

1. Running away from God does Not mean Escaping God’s Presence.

· God is Omnipresent. Wherever we go, God is There.

· Running away from God is not trying to get Out of his Presence, that’s impossible, it is trying to place ourselves Outside His Will.

2. We need to Know about the Consequences of Running away from God.

When we run away from God:

a. We Invite Satanic Influence.

b. We invite God’s Intervention.

The Christian life is No Guarantee that we will have No Problems.

We need to know there is a big difference between Self-inflicted suffering and suffering that comes due to our Commitments.

c. We are Deceived by Sin.

Running away from God is Exhausting and we can be Oblivious to the danger those around us are in, due to our Actions.

d. Our Sin will be Revealed.

e. We are brought to a Decision.

God’s discipline comes in the context of His Mercy & Grace.

God had him in place where he could no longer run or hide.

He could no longer Ignore God. He had to Make a Choice.