2. What Can Kill A Church
Revelation 3:1

3. Revelation 3:1
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: … 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”

4. Revelation 3:1
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: … 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”

5. Churches Can Die
Where are the congregations we read of in the New Testament?
At least two ways a church may die...
It may cease to exist
It may die inwardly, even while it still lives outwardly

6. Persecution Satan has often resorted to Physical Persecution...
The church at Smyrna
Rev. 2:9,10

7. Revelation 2:9,10
“'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. …”

8. Revelation 2:9,10
“… 10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

9. Persecution Satan has often resorted to Physical Persecution...
The church at Smyrna
Churches in the first century
1 Peter 5:8-9

10. 1 Peter 5:8-9
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. …”

11. 1 Peter 5:8-9
“… 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”

12. Persecution Satan has often resorted to Physical Persecution...
The church at Smyrna
Churches in the first century
We should not be surprised today
1 Peter 4:12

13. 1 Peter 4:12
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;”

14. Persecution People respond to Persecution Differently...
Some are silenced by it
cf. John 12:42-43

15. John 12:42-43
“Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; …”

16. John 12:42-43
“… 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”

17. Persecution People respond to Persecution Differently...
Some are silenced by it
Others rejoice in it
Acts 5:41-42

18. Acts 5:41-42
“So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. …”

19. Acts 5:41-42
“… 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

20. Romans 5:1-5
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. …”

21. Romans 5:1-5
“… 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; …”

22. Romans 5:1-5
“… 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

23. James 1:2-3
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

24. Persecution How we react will determine our Future as a Church...
A church that is silenced by persecution will soon die
A church that rejoices in persecution will not go unnoticed by the Lord

25. Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

26. Persecution How we react will determine our Future as a Church...
A church that rejoices in persecution will not go unnoticed by the Lord
The Lord took note of the church in Pergamos – Rev. 2:13

27. Revelation 2:13
“'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

28. Persecution How we react will determine our Future as a Church...
A church that rejoices in persecution will not go unnoticed by the Lord
The Lord took note of those in Philadelphia – Rev. 3:8

29. Revelation 3:8
“'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

30. False Teaching It threatened the church at Ephesus
But they had overcome – Rev. 2:2

31. Revelation 2:2
“'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;”

32. False Teaching It threatened the church at Pergamos
Who while handling persecution faithfully, they were floundering with error in their midst – Rev. 2:13-15

33. Revelation 2:13-15
“'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. …”

34. Revelation 2:13-15
“… 14 'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

35. False Teaching It threatened the church at:
Ephesus
Pergamos
Both Paul and Peter warned of the danger of error

36. Acts 20:29-30
“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

37. 2 Peter 2:1-2
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, …”

38. 2 Peter 2:1-2
“…bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;”

39. False Teaching Two things are necessary in Guarding Against Error...
We must not turn away from sound doctrine - 2 Timothy 4:3-4

40. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

41. False Teaching Two things are necessary in Guarding Against Error...
We must not turn away from sound doctrine - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
We must not support those who teach contrary to the doctrine of Christ - 2 John 9-11

42. 2 John 9-11
“Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. …”

43. 2 John 9-11
“… 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

44. Worldliness Includes Immorality & Materialism
Immorality is the lust of the flesh
Materialism involves the lust of the eyes
Both are included in "the love of the world"- 1 John 2:15-17

45. 1 John 2:15-17
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. …”

46. 1 John 2:15-17
“… 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.…”

47. 1 John 2:15-17
“… 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

48. Worldliness Satan uses worldliness to destroy churches...
The church at Thyatira was threatened by the influence of Jezebel – Rev. 2:20-23

49. Revelation 2:20-23
“'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. …”

50. Revelation 2:20-23
“… 21 'I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 'Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. …”

51. Revelation 2:20-23
“… 23 'And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”

52. Worldliness Satan uses worldliness to destroy churches...
Churches are hindered when their members are rendered fruitless by worldliness - cf. Luke 8:14

53. Luke 8:14
“The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”

54. Luke 8:14
“The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”

55. Worldliness To ward off worldliness...
We must have "the love of the Father"
1 John 2:15-17

56. 1 John 2:15-17
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. …”

57. 1 John 2:15-17
“… 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. …”

58. 1 John 2:15-17
“… 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

59. James 4:4
“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

60. Worldliness To ward off worldliness...
We must not be conformed to this world, but transformed by renewing our minds
Rom. 12:1-2

61. Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. …”

62. Romans 12:1-2
“… 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

63. Worldliness To ward off worldliness... We must "watch and pray"
Luke 21:34-36

64. Luke 21:34-36
“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; …”

65. Luke 21:34-36
“… 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36 "But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

66. Indifference A subtle, effective weapon of Satan
It jeopardized the standing of the church at Ephesus – Rev. 2:4

67. “'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
Revelation 2:4
“'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

68. Indifference A subtle, effective weapon of Satan
It characterized the church at Laodicea
Rev. 3:15-17

69. Revelation 3:15-17
“'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. …”

70. Revelation 3:15-17
“… 17 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,”

71. Indifference A subtle, effective weapon of Satan
We do not have to oppose the church to kill it, just be slothful and indifferent!
Proverbs 18:9

72. “He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys.”
Proverbs 18:9
“He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys.”

73. Matthew 12:30
“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”

74. Indifference Symptoms of indifference...
Irregular attendance of services
Lack of participation in the services
Consistently arriving late to services

75. Indifference Symptoms of indifference...
Waning efforts to win souls to Christ, perhaps the result of laziness
It has been suggested, that laziness, not licentiousness, is the prevailing sin of most members of the church.
No personal and private devotions

76. Indifference Fervent service is the only antidote
We must not grow weary in doing good - Galatians 6:9

77. Galatians 6:9
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

78. Indifference Fervent service is the only antidote
We must not grow weary in doing good - Gal 6:9
We must be diligent, and not become sluggish - Heb 6:11-12

79. Hebrews 6:11-12
“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

80. Indifference Fervent service is the only antidote
We must hold fast the hope we confess by encouraging one another - Heb 10:23-25

81. Hebrews 10:23-25
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, …”

82. Hebrews 10:23-25
“… 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

83. "so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes."
(2 Cor 2:11)