First Church of the Nazarene
Pastor Henecke's Sermon Outlines

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Pastor Henecke's Sermon Outline

Gary Allen Henecke DD

July 18th, 2010 AM

Wake Up!

  1. Welcome to Sardis – A real place


    1. This was the synagogue where the church began

    1. Sardis - 60 miles inland from Ephesus amid mountains

    2. Sardis was the capital of the kingdom of Lydia

      1. Gold was found in the river near Sardis

      2. Kings there were renowned for their wealth - GOLD

      3. The fabled "royal road" connected Sardis to Persia

    3. Sardis prospered as a war capitol

      1. But culture passed it by

      2. Great wealth – Great history


  1. The lessons of the churches

    1. They were all once alive in Christ

      1. Jesus was in the midst

Revelation 1:13

In the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man,

clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across his chest with a golden sash.

      1. Our faith comes from these “mother” churches that no longer exist

        1. In the presence of Jesus

        2. With John as the shepherd – they were dying

    1. The message is for us and all

      1. All letters begin in this code:

To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

      1. But all end by saying:

If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

    1. All seven have Christ in the midst - but

      1. Ephesus – departed from priority love

      2. Smyrna – false Israel verses the true Jews

      3. Pergamum – compromise and acceptance

      4. Thyatira – accepting evil in its midst

      5. Sardis – spiritually asleep – a need to repent

      6. Philadelphia – a church approved of God

      7. Laodicea – a lukewarm fellowship

    1. The message to real churches – that have become ruins

      1. They were 80% good

      2. God wants 100% - from us

    2. Yet, one was living a life free of condemnation


  1. The Central Theme – Our God Reigns

    1. The reminder is to this first generation ‘Christians’

      1. This is not about ‘church’

      2. This is not about ‘religion’

    2. When these letters are over we will read:

Revelation 4:1

After this I looked, and behold, I saw a door standing open in heaven; and the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

    1. This is about God – “Get a real vision of life!”

      1. The God who is God

      2. God is on the throne – he reigns

    2. Who – the God of Israel – the only true God

    3. It took hundreds of years for Israel to grasp all of this

      1. They were always being attracted by their hour/culture/ the surrounding peoples

      2. But eventually Isaiah called them to account

Isaiah 41:4 I am the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Isaiah 44:6

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, our Redeemer, and the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? "

Isaiah 48:12-13

“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.”

    1. Before we ever began these letters we read:

Revelation 1:17-18

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, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. "

      1. Notice: “I was dead”

      2. The Almighty is now Jesus

        1. He is alive – and walking midst the church

        2. He is judging us – right now

    1. This is the message throughout [the entire] Revelation

Revelation 22:10-14

Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer continue doing evil, and the filthy remain filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy be forever holy. Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to render to everyone according to his life. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed is the one who washes his garments, so that he may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city gates.


  1. So, What of Sardis?

    1. To Sardis write

Revelation 3:1

I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

      1. They are thought of as spiritual

      2. It is a false façade

    1. So: Three Imperatives:

      1. Wake up!

Revelation 3:2

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die,

for I have found your works incomplete in the sight of my God.

      1. Remember

Revelation 3:3 Remember, then, what you received and heard.

      1. Repent

Revelation 3:3

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.

    1. Three promises to overcomers: [Rev. 3:5]

You will be clothed in white

Your name will be in the Book of Life

I will confess you before the Father


  1. Sardis Is Us


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Pastor Henecke's PM Sermon Outline

Gary Allen Henecke DD

July 18th, 2010 PM

The Path to Glory


Hebrews 13:20 -21

Now, may the God of peace who, through the blood of an eternal covenant, brought back from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, make you complete in all goodness to accomplishing his will, creating in your life that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen!

  1. This great book: 12 chapters are a homily – sermon – Midrash: ‘How to acquire the fulfillment of the promise of God made with Abraham’

    1. Chapter thirteen is a pastoral addition – summary

  2. It comes in the name of Israel’s God

  3. O de. qeo.j th/j eivrh,nhj - Heb 13:20 - The God of peace

    1. God is the author and giver of peace, a Pauline phrase (6 times)

Now, may the God of peace

Romans 15:33

The God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Philippians 4:9

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Thessalonians 5:23

May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  1. That great Shepherd of the sheep

    1. This phrase occurs in Isa 63:11 Where is he who brought up out of the sea the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his holy Spirit,

    2. Psalm 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou who leadest Joseph like a flock! Thou who art enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth, before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh! Stir up thy might, and come to save us!

      1. The concept of ancient kings as shepherds

      2. Israel is forever a flock

    3. The sheep arte meant for sacrifice – but not with this Shepherd

      1. "the shepherd of the sheep the great one."

  2. With the blood of the eternal covenant (en haimati diathêkês aiôni

who, through the blood of an eternal covenant,

brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,

    1. This language is from Zechariah 9:11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free

    2. The language reminds us of Christ's own words in :

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Hebrews 9:15 He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant.

  1. Heb 13:21 - Make you complete (katartisai)

    1. Restore you to proper order - never lacking in anyhing

make you complete in all goodness to accomplishing his will

    1. Without division or blemish

    2. Working in us (poiôn en hemin). "Doing in us."

      1. Passive voice

      2. Well-pleasing

creating in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ;

to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

  1. Heb 13:21 - Make you Well-pleasing

    1. "in you." (euareston). Compound adjective (eu, arestos)

    2. Romans 12:1-2 I plead with you, brothers, by the compassion of God, to offer up your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to him, a spiritual mode of worship; do not be conformed to the present age, but be transformed by the entire renewal of your minds, so that you may learn to experience God’s will, and discern what is good and acceptable and perfect to him.

  2. This is all passive voice – God is the doer

Phil. 2:13 it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure

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