Kaleo Church Sermons
Web Site: Kaleo Church
Total Sermons: 408
Total Amens: 17
Find out how to link to Kaleo Church's sermons from your website or blog
The Church of Thyratira: Revelation 2:18-28
In America, most of us have not been physically threatened for our faith. However, like the church at Thyratira, I would argue that most of our greatest temptations to compromise stem from either economic or social pressures. The church today is radically tempted to compromise by valuing the same things that the culture around us values. We serve a God who calls us to consider everything rubbish in order that we might gain Christ and be found in him. We cannot cling to the values of this world and still hold fast to the righteousness of our savior. Jesus offers us himself. Jesus calls us live lives of repentance, constantly letting go of our sin and clinging to his blood, shed on the cross for our sin, to forgive us and give us his perfect righteousness.
0 Amens
Jezebel, Jehu and Jesus: Revelation 2:18-29
Thyatira is a simple, blue-collar town. The people there listened to the blue-collar comedy tour, wore hard hats and flannel and had union stickers on their camels. The majority of the population made their money as guild workers. Working with bronze, a pretty metal that provided their livelihood, Thyatiran metal workers would be very familiar with the power of fire and the value of bronze they worked with day in and day out. This would remind them of not only the strength and beauty of the feet of Jesus but also the power to crush and destroy. They would well know the usefulness and comfort a flame of fire could bring. Fire can bring us warmth when we are cold, cook meals, and even shape the metal they sold for their livelihood. But fire can also burn. Fire can devour when there is nothing in its path that can stop it from consuming whatever is in its way. Once again we see a picture of Jesus that brings comfort to his people and would strike fear into those who are compromising. Does this image of Jesus bring you comfort or fear? If it brings you fear, what sin are you hiding or holding that keeps you from running to Jesus?
0 Amens
Pergamum: Revelation 2:12-17
Today we will take a look at the church in Pergamum. Out of all the cities written about in the letter to the seven churches, perhaps none is more flamboyant in its worship of false gods that Pergamum. Pergamum rested on what was called an acropolis, a large city on a hill that was 16 miles from the Aegean Sea it overlooked. It was a wealthy city with many attractions, including the second largest library in the world. It was a major tourist attraction with large and expensive theatres, gymnasiums and temples built throughout the city. Pergamum had temples built for the goddess Athena, the goddess Asclepius, Demeter, Dionysus, the goddess Hera, and of course, an altar to Zeus.
0 Amens
The Church of Pergamum: Revelation 2:12-27
The church at Pergamum, much like many of our American churches, was filled with three kinds of people: the faithful, the compromisers, and the people who didn’t know which group was correct. As the political capital of the region, emperor worship was at its zenith in Pergamum; it was the place where Satan had his throne. In this context, Jesus rebukes the faithful for tolerating people in their church who are both compromising and telling others that it is ok to compromise. He calls the church at Pergamum and us to confront sin, root it out, and fight it. Our Savior calls us to repent of everything that threatens us from knowing and experiencing the fullness of joy that he has come to offer.
0 Amens
The Church of Pergamum: Revelation 2
The church at Pergamum, much like many of our American churches, was filled with three kinds of people: the faithful, the compromisers, and the people who didn’t know which group was correct. As the political capital of the region, emperor worship was at its zenith in Pergamum; it was the place where Satan had his throne. In this context, Jesus rebukes the faithful for tolerating people in their church who are both compromising and telling others that it is ok to compromise. He calls the church at Pergamum and us to confront sin, root it out, and fight it. Our Savior calls us to repent of everything that threatens us from knowing and experiencing the fullness of joy that he has come to offer.
0 Amens
The Church in Smyrna: Revelation 2:8
The church in Smyrna was made up of poor people who had endured many hardships. Jesus, the First and the Last, who defeated death, knows their tribulation, poverty, and the slander from the Jews that they have endured. Jesus tells them that he hears them, and yet they continue suffering. Not only does he call the church to not be afraid, he calls them to be faithful by treasuring him above all else, even to the point of death. He promises that the sufferings we experience right now, no matter how heavy they are, will one day seem light and momentary compared to the glory that he holds in store for his people. He suffered to end our suffering. He suffered so that no matter how much we have suffered at death, it is over. We will have an eternity with him.
0 Amens
Fall From Grace
John is writing to the church in Ephesus by the power of the Holy Spirit a message from the one who walks among the church. Jesus Christ is among his church. He knows our thoughts, sees our deeds, and is with us for our triumphs and trials. He is aware of both what the church in Ephesus is doing well and where they are failing. He knows this not just of the church in Ephesus but of the universal church worldwide and each local, individual church. The seven churches are a sign of the complete church and this letter ends in verse seven with a warning for the church to hear what the "Spirit says to the churches." Every church would be wise to listen and respond to this word spoken to the church in Ephesus.
0 Amens
The Church in Ephesus: Revelation 2:1-7
The letter to the Ephesians in Revelation begins with a commendation. Jesus commends the Ephesians for their doctrinal purity. They have fought false teachings and have remained faithful to the truth without growing weary and giving up. Yet, though they have remained doctrinally pure, they have ceased to be faithful witnesses for Jesus because they lost her first love for Jesus. Jesus calls them to remember the depths of their sin and how much they have been forgiven. Some of us are like the prodigal son or the sinful woman in Luke 7, and we know we have been saved from a life of sin. We have been overwhelmed by his grace, but over time, the memory fades and we grow prideful and self-reliant. For others of us, the danger is that we have never had a sinful woman experience. We may not have ever felt desperate, out of control, absolutely empty, and needy. Our savior walks among his people and he sees them all. He will forgive us if we will stop trying to be perfect and simply fall at his feet and beg him for mercy. Run to the one who, though his face shown like the sun, willingly took on flesh to die on the cross in our place.
0 Amens
A Vision of Jesus for the Church: Revelation 1
Revelation is an amazing book written to a church struggling with whether or not to compromise the Gospel to avoid persecution. They wanted to know if they could have Jesus and still live like everyone else. Some had already begun to compromise, some had refused to compromise and were suffering persecution, and others where stuck looking at both of them and wondering what they should do. Jesus speaks to all three groups by saying "Look at me!" In answer to their questions, Jesus shows them a magnificent picture of himself that few Christians have ever really taken the time to contemplate. It is a vision of a massive Jesus whose face shines like the sun, whose voice is like the sound of rushing waters, and out of whose mouth comes a sharp two-edged sword. This vision is meant to comfort the suffering and to rouse the compromising from their foolishness and call them all to follow Jesus. We will discuss how such a vision could possibly comfort anyone and we will address how this whole series applies to us today.
1 Amens
Mission Is...
Our God is a missional God. How does the Gospel motivate community missionwards? The Father sends the Son, the Son sends the Spirit, and the Spirit fills the church and sends it on mission and power into the world. To be on mission is simply to be like our God. It’s to understand His redemptive plan. It’s to join in His story. It’s to see our identity as it truly is.
0 Amens