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"Here as in Heaven."
For more information visit : garden.church
Welcome to Garden Church Podcast. We're in a series in the book of Revelation. We're gonna spend the next 26 weeks doing a deep dive into both how to read and how to interpret this amazing book. Enjoy.
Ramin Razavi:Alright, Garden family. You guys are doing amazing today, getting squeezed in here. As the church is growing right, pastor Darren?
Darren Rouanzoin:Yeah. 10 AM. What's up? We need a bigger building. Yeah.
Ramin Razavi:If you
Darren Rouanzoin:guys wanna give generously, we can get a bigger building and just go to, like, one service. That would be
Ramin Razavi:awesome. The building they wanna give us.
Darren Rouanzoin:Yeah. We love that. Pray for that Himalayan grill. Start praying over there. Let's go.
Ramin Razavi:But until then, we'll just hire a new pastor of operations. So let's
Darren Rouanzoin:welcome Go.
Ramin Razavi:Trico Seguera, his wife Elizabeth. Is Miriam coming? And Miriam yeah. Go ahead. Grab that microphone.
Ramin Razavi:Come on up, guys. Church family, about 7 months ago, Alex Roundson and I sat down together and said, it is time to hire our next pastor of operations. And if you've been around garden, we don't do anything without extreme diligence, prayer, and patience. And so we move forward in the process, and Alex and I identified 3 things we felt were essential for our next pastor of operations. The first was that they had the same heart for Jesus, a heart for consecrated living, a heart for the kingdom in his church as God has given us.
Ramin Razavi:And when we met Luis and Elizabeth, we said, yes. That's the heart that they carry. The second thing we were looking for is can they do the job? Yeah. I mean, this Darren, could you do pastor of operations?
Ramin Razavi:Heck no. Neither could I. It's finance. It's operations. It's HR.
Ramin Razavi:It's facilities. It's overseeing hospitality and communications. You have gotta have a serious skill set and gifts of the Holy Spirit. And we met Luis, and his unique journey had prepared him perfectly for this role. And the last one, and I I would say, Darren's gonna speak to it too, is the most essential for us is would we want these people to come and be part of our family?
Ramin Razavi:Would we wanna entrust you to them and them to you? Would there be a sense of shared heart and a desire to do all of life together? And it took us about an hour, with the Osseguerra family to say, yes. They're the people God's calling to be here. And so, Luis, as we get to know you guys a little bit, Elizabeth, Miriam, you can go wherever you're comfortable.
Ramin Razavi:Is that grandma, maybe? Yeah. Good guess. Luis, why don't you share with us just a little bit about how the Lord called you here and prepared you for this role?
Luis Oceguera:I'd love to. For the sake of brevity, my, life started in Mexico for a bit there, and then we ended up in Eugene, Oregon, which is totally different than where it started. It was great. I grew up in a great church, and, the really formative part was actually the in the youth ministry. Like you guys, I had really great leaders.
Luis Oceguera:Great leaders that spoke truth and and the gospel. It was great. They helped me recognize a call to ministry. Eventually, after, like, serving for a while, I moved to Washington to try to be a youth pastor on a little island over there. And then, when that ran its course, I moved to Portland where I got to meet Elizabeth, and we went to church in Portland.
Luis Oceguera:Darren spoke there once. I remember him. Yeah. And then, actually, over the years, it was good. It was really good.
Darren Rouanzoin:A lot to do.
Luis Oceguera:It was awesome.
Darren Rouanzoin:Amen.
Luis Oceguera:Over the over the years, Elizabeth has gotten to attend here with Joy, her friend. And, yeah, I I've been aware of this community for a while because Elizabeth loved it so much. And
Ramin Razavi:then yeah. Gosh. I'm just
Luis Oceguera:so happy to be here. Yeah.
Ramin Razavi:Yeah. Good. As you guys step into this yeah. We can clap for that. It's beautiful.
Ramin Razavi:And honor our friends. As you both step into this new season, not only joining our team, but joining our church family, what are a couple of hopes or dreams you guys are carrying in your heart?
Luis Oceguera:We both felt, for our family, a real desire for, like, rejuvenation and just being being rooted and and spending these years. I mean, these are really sweet years for us, in
Ramin Razavi:a great community. So we're actually really happy to be congregants here. We're we're excited just
Luis Oceguera:to be here. I felt a real draw to be under this leadership team, which they don't they don't pay me to say that. They pay me to do other things. But even beyond, beyond Darren and Alex, the the elders, the board, I mean, it just I felt a real draw to be under the leadership here, and that that feels great. And then it just feels like a really important season to to help steward what god is doing here.
Luis Oceguera:And, so I'm really honored to get to do that part too. Yeah.
Ramin Razavi:Whoo. Let's go. Do you wanna add anything? Oh, sure. Yeah.
Ramin Razavi:No. I that's what I said at the last service too. Like, this being here in this community is one of those dreams that I didn't even think to ask God for because I just thought, like, you know, that why would I ask for that? You know, it'd be too great. So I'm so happy to be here, and, like, I just kinda can't believe it's happening.
Ramin Razavi:So thanks for letting me put be part of your family now.
Darren Rouanzoin:I love it. Can we give it up for them one more time? One one of my jobs as a pastor is to help the church, you, understand what's going on. I think, you know, a lot of us come from church cultures or backgrounds, but don't often know the significance of this. So for us as a leadership team, you know, the elders, the staff, the board of directors, this is a very important decision.
Darren Rouanzoin:This is not something that we hold lightly. It has taken a lot of time. Although we might have sensed in an hour, he's the right guy. They're the right people. It took lots of meetings, lots of prayer, lots of discernment because we could see he's Luis is competent.
Darren Rouanzoin:He can do the job. He has so many skills that will benefit us. We can also see that there's a chemistry. There's a shared values in a theology that we have, but the thing that we're we're after, the thing underneath the thing is the thing that could destroy us, and it's character. And character not, you know, you don't how do you put character on your resume?
Darren Rouanzoin:It's the stuff that leaks out of you in between the questions that you're answering. It's the history that you have that's culminated in a life that's lived well. And how they've handled the process that we've took them on and how they've responded to our answers. And I could say that, you know, they're gonna be amazing gift to our community. I need you to know that this is how God builds his church.
Darren Rouanzoin:He builds it not through websites, not through going viral on Instagram, through people. He sends laborers into the harvest. And we receive those gifts. All of you that are here and the leadership that he's bringing to us. So we're grateful for him.
Darren Rouanzoin:So we're gonna commission Luis today, into this role. But I wanna give you one more theological, you know, fact because my old mentor who passed away a few years ago always said remind the church why it exists because they forget every 3 months. So in case you forgot, what we're doing here is very spiritual. So in Titus 1, Paul says the reason I left you in Crete was that you might put an order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town as I directed. Now if you come to my Wednesday night bible class which has been going on, it's awesome for all of you that are there.
Darren Rouanzoin:I will say there's a lot of theology to unpack here, but I just wanna say this, there's a direct connection to establishing pastors that were elders pastors and the effectiveness of a church in its city. That there's a direct correlation to between spiritual authority being established in the local church and the missional effectiveness of that church in a city. And so as we set Luis into place as a pastor of operations, we are looking to increase our missional effectiveness as a community. Does that make sense? So Luis, I wanna remind you of what I shared earlier.
Darren Rouanzoin:This is just a quote from, a book called Spiritual Authority. Good leadership competencies are necessary and they are important, but without the development of spiritual authority, they're not enough to accomplish what only God can accomplish. You can grow a church, but we won't change the spiritual atmosphere of a region. You can run effective programs, but you won't be able to cast out demons, heal the sick, or change the condition of a human heart without authority. If you wanna touch heaven to change earth, you must learn spiritual authority.
Darren Rouanzoin:Moving mountains is more about authority than human leadership, competency, or capacity. So would you move some mountains for us? Yes. Alright. Would you come down here?
Darren Rouanzoin:Would you can I ask the elder staff, leaders, friends, family, come over here and lay hands? Would you extend a hand if that's none of you? And if you wanna be one of those things, just start start serving. Okay. And that will be one of those things real quick.
Darren Rouanzoin:And let's just begin to pray our best prayer for them. Thank you, Jess.
Ramin Razavi:Mhmm.
Darren Rouanzoin:Luis, I I bless you as the pastor of operations. I put you in that role. In the name of the father, son, holy spirit, would you lead with authority and power granted from God to you on behalf of Jesus? Jesus, we thank you for bringing this gift to us, and we receive him and Elizabeth and their family. I thank you, Jesus, for the grace on his life, for the wounds he stewarded, for the the journey of faithfulness in the hidden places that was, done in secret unto you.
Darren Rouanzoin:I pray, god, that you would protect them with angels and a covering over their home. I bless their kids and their future kids, That they would love the church. That they would love you and love being pastor kids. I pray, Jesus, that they would flourish here and that your abundance would be overwhelming for them. And something about Joseph Mhmm.
Darren Rouanzoin:I see in you, Luis. And I ask God that you would, bring your abundant provision for Luis to steward. I thank you for what man has intended for evil. You make for good. Yes.
Darren Rouanzoin:And we honor that in Luis in Jesus name. Jesus. Amen. Amen. Got a lot going on today.
Darren Rouanzoin:10 AM. I wasn't joking about a building. So if you if you have one that you wanna give, we'll take love to preach once on Sunday. I'm fine with 4 but I would love to preach once. Also we have a 8 AM and 12 PM if you don't wanna sit on the floor.
Darren Rouanzoin:Okay. I'm just I have no other way to do this other than to be faithful each service. So when I was worshiping, I felt like the Lord said, we would will you be foolish for me? And then he said, will you look foolish for me? And that's hard.
Darren Rouanzoin:That's very hard. So I might mix up this sermon, so it won't be as clean and neat and tidy. It might be clunky, but I'm gonna go for it. But I believe the Lord wants to speak to you, and you're here, because he wants to speak to you directly. So can we quiet our souls for a second, close our eyes, and invite the holy spirit to minister through the word of God.
Darren Rouanzoin:And I know, you know, we have to get up for various reasons, but I wanna encourage you just for the next 35, try to be still. Let the Lord speak to us as a community. Churches have gathered for 1000 of years around reading of the word publicly, taking communion, singing some hymns, and being together and, you know, the most important things we've already been doing. So let's open ourselves. Jesus, would you speak to us?
Darren Rouanzoin:Allow us to receive your word in Jesus name. Amen. I'm gonna do what I hear the Lord saying and I this isn't in my sermon notes. Isaiah 6 starts we're in the book of revelation. But, there's this passage in Isaiah 6 where Isaiah is confronted.
Darren Rouanzoin:He's a prophet. He's confronted with, a vision from the lord. He sees god. And in this vision, he says holy he he sees angels saying holy, holy, holy is the lord god almighty. In this amazing passage Isaiah 6, you have a Trinitarian perspective.
Darren Rouanzoin:Holy holy holy. You have God who's sovereign, God who's savior, God who sends. You have the Trinitarian view right there. You have this encounter where Isaiah is overwhelmed. He's overwhelmed with his guilt and shame.
Darren Rouanzoin:He realizes how sinful he is and then an angel comes and touches him with a coal and he's cleansed and he's set free. And then there's this there's this ache in heaven, whom shall I send and who will go for us? And I just have to imagine imagine this epic view of god's throne with this unbelievable perspective that you have this young prophet Isaiah going, why am I here? Like like this guy doesn't belong. Like this has been going on for eternity, and he just shows up and this ache he hears, whom shall I send?
Darren Rouanzoin:And he says, here am I, send me. And then he's commissioned as a prophet to go and tell people about what he's seen and heard. I feel like some of you heard this call as a young man or woman, and the lord is reminding you today that you said, I, here I am, send me. Will you stand up right now? Just stand up.
Darren Rouanzoin:I feel like the lord maybe you're hearing it for the first time and then you need to be commissioned into a calling right now. Like, just stay standing. This word is a timeless truth that has historical realities, but in a moment can become the defining verse for your life. Here I am, send me. You said this as a little girl or as a little boy in the lord's remind you.
Darren Rouanzoin:Just keep your eyes closed. I wanna pray over you. If you're standing If you're sitting next to someone standing, just place a hand on them. Lord has commissioned you with this. You have said yes to him.
Darren Rouanzoin:Stop holding back. No more fear about being foolish. No more concern about how you'll make money. Be faithful to the lord in your promise because he is always faithful to his promises. You said your life, your marriage, your business would be his.
Darren Rouanzoin:Make it his in Jesus name. Go where he sends you. Always where he sends you. Even if it's to your neighbors, in your neighborhood, into your 9 to 5 job. Go in the power of his commissioning that you will tell people of what you've seen and heard.
Darren Rouanzoin:I really wanna remind you of the calling on your life. You've been called by God, not by man, but by God to do the work, finish the work. No matter how hard or how little effort you see or how little it's producing, it's your faithfulness he's after in Jesus name. Be commissioned in Jesus name. Carry this to where he's called you to carry it.
Darren Rouanzoin:In the name of Jesus. Some of you that are standing have been knocked around. He's not saying I'm gonna take it away, the knocking around. He's saying be faithful in the knocking. Patiently endure for you will be a victor in Jesus name.
Darren Rouanzoin:Amen. Amen. Thank you so much. Didn't know you're gonna get called out from a commitment you made as a little boy or girl. I love being a part of a local church.
Darren Rouanzoin:I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm gonna be faithful to what I prepared. Okay? Revelation chapter 3. I'm gonna move around.
Darren Rouanzoin:It helps me feel better. I see all of you. A lot of you are new. I haven't seen you before. Welcome.
Darren Rouanzoin:You haven't been here for a while. Where have you been? I saw some posts, I'm concerned. Revelation 3 says this, to the angel of the church in Sardis. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:These are the words of him who holds the 7 stars of god. Sorry. The 7 spirits of god and the 7 stars. I know your deeds. You have a reputation of being alive, but you're dead.
Darren Rouanzoin:Wake up. Strengthen what remains and, and is about to die for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of god. Remember therefore what you have received and heard. Hold it fast and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to.
Darren Rouanzoin:Yet, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me dressed in white for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will like them be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but I will acknowledge that that name before my father and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the spirit says to the churches.
Darren Rouanzoin:The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Alright. I don't have as much time because we did a lot of other things, but that's okay. Well, we have 2 sermons to get through.
Darren Rouanzoin:So maybe I'll just do one. Revelation 3 is the church in Sardis. And I I I he it starts off with, this common if you haven't been with us, there's this 7 churches in revelation. These are literal churches that that were literal places and literal communities 2000 years ago when this was written in 96 AD. John's writing to them.
Darren Rouanzoin:This is a literal church Sardis which was, a a where where he it was a a place that Jesus writes to in this place. Sorry, I'm all over the place. Let me just center. Jesus help me right now. Sardis was the epicenter of worshiping this deity.
Darren Rouanzoin:Her name was Sabil, and here's a picture of her. She was, the goddess of fertility. She was a Anatolian, goddess who was worship for all different places. She for all different reasons and Sable was the mother goddess associated with, protecting Sardis as a city and her cult had deep roots in the city. So, Sardis was known for the worshiping of this God.
Darren Rouanzoin:And it required ecstatic ceremonies, and rituals, and festivals, and pagan practices that included, all sorts of horrible things that the church was in the center of. And according to this text, we see that Sardis doesn't have an affirmation at all. Other churches like Jesus is like, I know your deeds, you've done this. Sardis is, I know your deeds, you have a reputation of being alive, but you're dead. So you look good on the outside, but you're dead on the inside.
Darren Rouanzoin:You're a sleepy Christian. You know, you're a cultural Christian. You show up, you do the activity, but your life is dead with the life of God. And Sardis is a specific city that had, cultural practice of worship. And I'm not gonna say all the details because the little ones in the in the in the service, but it's it's dark.
Darren Rouanzoin:And apparently, this church accommodated to the worship. Now what does it mean to accommodate? What I wanna say about that is because we always think, oh, man, they're clearly worshiping false gods. But what Sardis is doing, what the church is doing is just participating in the social scene. So what was the social scene of Sardis?
Darren Rouanzoin:Social scene included going to temples, going to places that were unfit for Christian life, but that was the norm of the 1st century Sardis community. They went to sanctuaries because they had these places that you go to experience, social capital and blessing and finances, and and and it was part of the liturgy of the day to go to the malls and shop. But only their malls were dedicated to false gods, not like ours. They were very concerned about physical appearance and beauty. So they worship those things connected with physical appearance and beauty unlike us, obviously.
Darren Rouanzoin:But there were these annual festivals. There were these concerts that they would go to, you know, where all sorts of debauchery would took take place. That's a a fancy word for things that you shouldn't participate now that you're Christian. But one particular festival which is important to understand what the robes are, because what's up with the robes. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:We're like, this is such a Christian, like, spiritual religious thing. No. No. No. It's actually a Sardis thing.
Darren Rouanzoin:See, there was an annual festival held in March where they worship Sardis. And you or start with the god of Sardis, Sybil. And they would they would wear white robes and walk down the road, and it was a long march. And they would whip themselves, right, hard and hit themselves everywhere they want. And the goal to the end, you get to the end.
Darren Rouanzoin:And the goal is to have as red of a robe as possible from your blood. Right? So some of you won't be soiled. Some of you aren't participating in the social scene of the day. You aren't contaminated.
Darren Rouanzoin:You wanna sleep with sin because you're living faithfully to a different God. You're not participating in what is culturally acceptable and normal even for cultural Christians. But as a devotee to Jesus requires an utmost consecrated way of living. You know, it's it's the idea of your reputation on Sunday looks great and pretty. You're wearing your Sunday's best even if it's casual.
Darren Rouanzoin:But you're contaminated from Monday through Saturday. Confessing here holy holy holy while living an unholy lifestyle. So Sardis is not getting praise. You don't wanna be Sardis at all. What's going on in the scene is that the church is asleep and Jesus wants them to wake up.
Darren Rouanzoin:I love what Tim Keller says. He says in revival, sleepy Christians wake up. By the way, how do you know you're asleep? This is like my doctor Seuss deep theology for you. Right?
Darren Rouanzoin:From hermeneutical pyrotechnics that I'm gonna give you. Okay. Those are fancy words for all of you that have been on Wednesday. You know what I'm talking about. Exegesis, here we go.
Darren Rouanzoin:How do you know you're asleep? You wake up. Well done. Were you here at the first? No.
Darren Rouanzoin:You just you're just smart. Look at you. You said, here I am, Lord. Send me, and he's giving you revelation from revelation. Am I right?
Darren Rouanzoin:How because how do you know you're you're asleep? You wake up. You don't know you're asleep until something wakes you. Today, my alarm didn't go off. 5 PM is what I said it for.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's and the title of the sermon, sleepy Christians. So there I am. Alex goes, what time do you need up? I'm like, 5 o'clock. She's like, it's 6 o'clock.
Darren Rouanzoin:Okay. I missed it. I didn't know I was asleep until I woke up. Some of you don't know you're sleeping, and you're asleep. And what what Tim Keller says is sleepy Christians wake up, nominal Christians get converted, and non Christians get reached.
Darren Rouanzoin:A sleepy Christian may believe they're a Christian, but they don't have a real sense of God's holiness. See, it's connected to holiness. And holiness is not like a holiness means dedicated to. Like, god says be holy as I am holy. Be as dedicated to me as I am dedicated to you.
Darren Rouanzoin:That's the proper Hebrew translation. Their own sin or the depth of the great of of his grace. They may be a moralist or relevant relativist or living inconsistent lives. Nominal Christians may be going to church, but have never really been convicted of sin or receive salvation personally. When sleepy and nominal Christians get revived, attractive and bold in their witness, people who would never have believed before begin to get converted.
Darren Rouanzoin:You see, God wakes the church up not for you to stay awake for yourself, but to move outward on his mission. Here are some I I wanna stay here for a moment. That really convicted me. Some of you are being convicted of sin today, right now. Like, I I you've been you've been feeling this tingling, this sense in your body, your mind, and heart.
Darren Rouanzoin:God, the holy spirit is percolating inside of you something and you're you're pushing it down going, no, this is a comfortable sin. This is an okay sin. This unforgiveness, it keeps me protected. This sexual sin, this way of viewing the world, everyone else does it, so it doesn't matter how holy. I can just confess and receive grace anyway.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's keeping you asleep. My greed. When was the last time you confessed your greed by the way? My envy, my jealousy, my bitterness, my constant discontentment, my constant escapist behavior. What do you mean escapist behavior?
Darren Rouanzoin:My need for a second or third glass of wine everyday to make me sleep? My need to buy the thing in that feeling of feeling sad, I just buy it because it helps me feel good in that moment, and it'll be here in 48 hours. God bless Prime. Satan's tool for you. I it's revelation.
Darren Rouanzoin:I don't know what I'm saying. It's 2,000 year old document. Is it relevant today? Maybe wake up. Here's some signs that that you're sleeping in.
Darren Rouanzoin:Your alarm doesn't wake you. No. Jesus is an accessory. Jesus is an accessory to your life, not lord of your life. How do you know he's an accessory?
Darren Rouanzoin:He doesn't have say of your finances. He doesn't have say of your social media use. You can show up to a restaurant and be stuck on a device versus being present to the people around you. I'm just confessing my sins now. Happiness is the priority, not his presence.
Darren Rouanzoin:Compromise and accommodation are made to fulfill your personal goals rather than holiness to fulfill his purposes. You ever think you being holy is not about you being holy, but about God using you for his purposes? Like Bill always says, holiness is usefulness in the kingdom of God. So when you like disc discard the things that are distracting and putting weight on your life, now you're free to be used for his purpose. Meanwhile, as long as you feel that guilt and shame because you keep doing the same thing over and over again that you know you shouldn't do because you haven't been obedient to the promptings of the lord, you're not being used in the right way.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's all about you versus now that you're free from all about you, you can be about him, holiness. You focus on activities for God rather than communion with God. That's where you can put on the show. In church, you can show up and put on the show. I can raise my hands.
Darren Rouanzoin:You know? I could do the Christian thing well because I'm an actor. Which leads to the other part, you hide and you pretend and you blur the lines of truth to maintain an appearance. Even though inside your marriage is terribly it's suffering, but you won't let anyone in. You're feeling deep loneliness and doubt and confusion, but you don't let anyone in.
Darren Rouanzoin:You're hiding that secret addiction because you can't again confess and go back to that place that you were and you feel shame that you're there again. And that that person that you confessed to is also struggling and they don't know because you're not pre you're just pretending. You stay asleep. Your spiritual life only happens on Sunday and your life is complacent, and you just don't even care. That's the hard heart.
Darren Rouanzoin:Right? When the holy spirit comes, he gives you a new heart. Did you know that? Like, did you need a new heart for your spouse? You need a new heart for your no.
Darren Rouanzoin:You want him to fix his stuff. Once he does it, then you'll be okay. Meanwhile, your heart is contaminated with unforgiveness. And then you built a castle with a moat so there's no intimacy. Meanwhile, God's like, here's the key.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's locked from the inside. Forgive and watch what happens to your intimacy. Damn, I'm preaching to myself. So easy to think it's everyone else's problems. Wake up.
Darren Rouanzoin:Jesus gives the command to a sleep. How do you get out if you if you're diagnosed now as a sleepy Christian, how do you get out? How do you do it? Jesus says wake up. Gives 5 commands in Revelation.
Darren Rouanzoin:He says wake up twice. Keep watch. That's this idea of Matthew 2442 says, therefore, keep watch because you do not know on what day your lord will come. There was a a kind of preaching back in the day that had this urgent message that we've lost. We we become satiated and comfortable making Christianity part of our culture and accessory, rather than recognizing that we are called to mission.
Darren Rouanzoin:So keeping watch is anticipating Jesus coming again. Anticipating that there is a message to give to the world, and it's the best news. It's the good news. And everyone else is living a various kind of news that doesn't have a king in it. They all want the effects of our kingdom, the effects of his presence without a relationship to him.
Darren Rouanzoin:And you go around not awake to what god's doing. Stay awake. Keep watch. Stay guard. Live in a way that's anticipating his move.
Darren Rouanzoin:That's the first thing. So keep alert. Stay alert. You gotta be ready. Be useful.
Darren Rouanzoin:Keep on it. But then he goes on, he says this. He says, strengthen what remains. Strengthen what remains. Strengthen what remains.
Darren Rouanzoin:What is he talking about? And as far as scholars can tell, they they're saying that there are these forms, there are these habits, there are these disciplines and practices, there are these liturgies within the church that that that that keep life fresh in your faith. Stay alert, but practice being at church. Read your scripture, read the bible, pray together, confess you, do the Christian life together, strengthen, keep the forms alive. And I see this a lot.
Darren Rouanzoin:If you wanna see what happens to a person that walks away from faith that was in church and then they deconstruct and leave, it always starts with them slowly not participating in the forms that hold church together. Like I more than ever before, I I feel this pressing need to communicate the need for local church ministry. Yeah. Worshiping on Sundays is a must in my calendar. I wanna just be a part of a a a liturgy of the week where my family comes to be in the presence of God, to hear the word of God spoken, to worship and receive communion and pray.
Darren Rouanzoin:Like that is a form that sustains life. When you take that away, which is what's happened in our culture, you take away the structures and forms. So so you're like, oh, yeah. I don't agree with this church. So I'm gonna do my own thing with some podcast with my lavender latte.
Darren Rouanzoin:And I I have a church. It's the community that's all listening disembodied on their podcasts. It's that podcast. It's that YouTube channel. It's that channel.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's a Instagram feed. You know, we have an app now that keeps us separated from anyone else. We can do Jesus any way we want. That's a form of deconstructionism in the church that is destroying. The church is designed to incarnate the word.
Darren Rouanzoin:We're designed to be together. We're the body. You can't do this any old way you want. It falls apart. So strengthen what remains.
Darren Rouanzoin:Stay committed to a life that has rhythms and rituals and liturgy that that creates structure to empower you into a life of god. The third is remember what you received. This is so interesting because you're talking about a church that seems alive but dead. That seems like it has the presence of god but doesn't. That phrase, remember what you received.
Darren Rouanzoin:The the the phrase received is always connected to the holy spirit in the new testament. So if you go down, I can give you a bunch of, scriptures. Throughout the scripture, the word received is associated with the holy spirit. There's John, I think, 2022. And, it says that, receive the holy spirit.
Darren Rouanzoin:Acts 238 says, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the holy spirit. When Paul visited Ephesus, and he didn't see an authentic church based on what he's experienced, He asked them this question, did you receive the holy spirit? All I'm trying to say is that what we are called into in the Christian life when it says remember, it says to keep on remembering what we receive. What did we receive? Did we receive just practices and forms?
Darren Rouanzoin:No. Did we receive just a book to memorize? No. We received the presence of god. The only way you're gonna stay awake is if you're filled with the holy spirit.
Darren Rouanzoin:And it's not a one time event. It's an ongoing event. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18. Keep on being filled with the holy spirit is the proper Greek translation. It's a perfect present tense.
Darren Rouanzoin:So when we gather, when you're alone tomorrow with the scriptures in your quiet time, all of you are doing quiet time tomorrow morning. Yes? Holy spirit, fill me with your presence and hold on to it. Hold on to him. Keep it is number 4.
Darren Rouanzoin:Keep holding on to what you received. Let me pause for that. You guys okay with that? I gotta tell you, our church was born by the spirit of God. We are here because the holy spirit is alive and well.
Darren Rouanzoin:I know there's a lot of growth and new people from different churches. We are a charismatic church. That is a church that believes in the ministry and power of the holy spirit. We are a biblical church. We submit everything to the authority of scripture.
Darren Rouanzoin:I don't think there's a debate between being spirit filled in a bible church. You can be a spirit and bible. The spirit points to scripture and scripture points to the spirit. There's no other way. The only biblical church is a spirit filled church.
Darren Rouanzoin:And we need to practice these things. We need to participate. We need to anticipate that the holy spirit will do in us what he did through Jesus. That is what Luke is about in the book of acts. Are you receiving this?
Darren Rouanzoin:Are you keeping it? Are you awake? I'm so tired of having to apologize for the church's behavior. Wake up. It's not just pastors, it's the church.
Darren Rouanzoin:You say you're a follower of Jesus, but you're dead. How is that possible? He makes all things new. It's not because you're not trying hard enough, it's because you haven't humbled yourself to death all the way. Die.
Darren Rouanzoin:It's not gonna be because you figured it out with your practices. It's gonna be because you died to yourself, picked up his cross, and marched up the hill with him, and then you discover real life. Stop holding on to all the stuff. You won't take it in the age to come. You don't need more stuff.
Darren Rouanzoin:You don't need more things. You don't need relationships that look good for a network. You need deep, intimate friendships that hold up a mirror and say, that's not who you are. Wake up church. How we doing?
Darren Rouanzoin:Wow. 10 AM, I just gotta say I love you. I'm apologizing publicly to the 8 am this morning, apparently anointing came after the 10 am. Those of you that have been at both you're like obviously. Number 5 is repent.
Darren Rouanzoin:Okay. So just repent. Turn around. Some of you feel that conviction, delete the app. Stop buying stuff on Amazon Prime all the time without accountability.
Darren Rouanzoin:Open up your heart to your friend and say, I'm struggling. Repent to the Lord. If you've been off with your friend, if you've have unforgiveness, repent to Jesus first. Okay. Now I gotta read the second part of our sermon.
Darren Rouanzoin:Here we go. This one will be quick, but it's directly tied because it's really a counter to Sardis. It's the what church do you wanna be? If you're sleepy and dead, don't be Sardis. Wake up, but then Philadelphia offers us another alternative.
Darren Rouanzoin:Ready? Let's read the words from Jesus. Chapter 7 I'm sorry. Chapter 3 verse 7. Revelation.
Darren Rouanzoin:Can you just hold up your bibles, those of you that brought? Let me see all the bibles in the room. If you put up an iPhone, I'm gonna throw it out the window. Go back to Sardis. No.
Darren Rouanzoin:I'm just kidding. I can't help it. I can't help it. You know it's true. Worship God with your mouth and you curse man, you worship God with your phone, and what else do you do on that phone?
Darren Rouanzoin:All the other debaucherous things. Like that's it's obvious. Like if it's not obvious, go to screen time. Show me how much you follow Jesus with your screen time. We're talking about can repent, right?
Darren Rouanzoin:Let's see. Go to your bank account. You got it on your phone. Go to your Venmo history. Cool.
Darren Rouanzoin:Look at all of that, right? Paying your roommates, splitting the meal but not adding tip. I see your greedy heart. You know who you are. You know exactly, are you kidding me?
Darren Rouanzoin:The tax and tip in LA County, you gotta add like 40% to your friend's text. Don't leave them in debt because you didn't pay for your tax and tip. I know your deeds. To the angel of the church in Philadelphia, these are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens, no one can shut, and what he shuts, no one can open.
Darren Rouanzoin:I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews, though they are not, but are liars. I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
Darren Rouanzoin:Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I'm coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious, I will make a pillar in the temple of God. Never again will they leave it.
Darren Rouanzoin:I will write on them a name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my name my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the spirit says to the churches, the word of the Lord. Okay. Couple of quick things.
Darren Rouanzoin:This one's not gonna go as long. Number 1, only Yahweh is referred to as holy and true in the old testament. Remember when we read revelation, you can't understand the book of revelation without understanding the whole of the old testament. Over 500 references in the book of revelation to the old testament. There's only 404 verses in revelation.
Darren Rouanzoin:So this is hyperlinked to the old testament like crazy. And holy and true is referred to Yahweh. So Jesus is now calling himself holy and true. He says he holds the keys of David. Now go to Isaiah chapter 22 real quick.
Darren Rouanzoin:I wanna show you this because it's important to understand. What is he saying here? Well, there was a prophecy in the old testament about a future person coming. And I want you to get I wanna give you the answer because 8 AM already failed. But just get ready.
Darren Rouanzoin:Okay? See if you guys can answer this correctly. Isaiah 22 verse 20. Okay? Isaiah is talking about a future servant.
Darren Rouanzoin:It says, Isaiah, I'll give you time. You you got your bibles well done. Most of you. The rest of the year being judged. Just deep conviction, you know.
Darren Rouanzoin:Deep Isaiah 22 verse 20. In that day now if you were part of my bible class this last week or last 2 weeks, you would know what day that's referring to. It's referring to the age to come at a time when god would act in human history and usher in something new, the new exodus. And it says, in that day, I will summon my servant, Eliakim, the son of Hilakiah Hilakiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and your hand your and and hand your authority over to him.
Darren Rouanzoin:He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David. What he opens, no one can shut. And what he shuts, no one can open. So Isaiah prophesies that there's gonna be the steward of the riches of the king, who's given authority to open and shut the door of the house of David.
Darren Rouanzoin:So what is the house of David referred to? Well, the rest of Isaiah uses the house of David as a shorthand to the refer to the kingdom of god, the city of god, the temple of god, and all of god's riches. So who is this servant that Isaiah prophesies about? You guys could have been way more confident than 8 AM. I thought I had you know what?
Darren Rouanzoin:6 PM is gonna do it. I trust the 6 PM. Who is the servant Isaiah prophesies about? Yes. That's the easiest answer.
Darren Rouanzoin:Of course. Who has access to God's kingdom and reign and rule? Who has treasures in heaven that he's been given the key to open the door to? Jesus. And so you take this prophecy, Jesus saying, I'm the one who fulfills this.
Darren Rouanzoin:Jesus is the faithful steward. Jesus is the one who holds the key, who opens doors and shuts. Now there's a couple of translations. Philadelphia is this church that is small, and and it is vibrant in its faith. Philadelphia, at the time this was written, was called Little Athens because it had so many temples dedicated to so many Greeks Greek gods.
Darren Rouanzoin:And it was used by the Greeks as a missionary city. It was a hub for missional activity to transfer the Hellenistic culture, the narratives of the Greek gods, the the language of Greek language, and the religious practices and and cultural practices of Greek philosophy and all of those things. So this city, because of its location, because of its proximity to highways and roads and the use of technology, it was a missionary city. It was an open door for Hellenism, except what Jesus says is actually I put an open door. You're small in little Athens.
Darren Rouanzoin:Sardis, more influential in a a different kind of city. They're dead, and they they think they're alive, but they're dead. But Philadelphia is being crushed, being, kicked out of the synagogues, which were the Jewish worship communities. And they have this wide open door. So there's 2 translations.
Darren Rouanzoin:1 says the open door is about the door of salvation. Like Jesus has given us the gospel, it's the door of salvation. But I would like to argue with a lot of other scholars that the open door has a different meaning. In the way that it's used throughout the rest of the new testament, an open door means it's an opportunity for missional work. It's the open door is an opportunity for missional work, because this is how Paul refers to it all over the place.
Darren Rouanzoin:Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 16, I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost because a great door for effective work has been opened to me. He says in 2nd Corinthians 2, when I went to trials to preach the gospel of Christ, a door was open for me in the Lord. He prays in Colossians chapter 4 verse 3 that that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. The door that Jesus gave the church in the midst of opposition is a wide open door for missional activity. And why is this so important?
Darren Rouanzoin:Because I think when you look at Sardis who falls asleep in their complacency, you see Philadelphia who's awake to the open doors. That god has open doors. What's god saying to the church in Southern California right now? I think he's saying wake up sleepy Christians to the open doors all in front of you. What's an open door of missional opportunity?
Darren Rouanzoin:Your neighborhood, your vocation, your 9 to 5, your school, the coffee shop that you work at, your friendship circles, that mom's group that you go to work out with. All of those are wide open doors for you to share what God has given you because you remember what you received. And you're wide awake to what's happening. God has called you all to be missionaries. Some of you are going to places that you don't even know yet because you've been called to be a vocational missionary to other places to reach the unreachable.
Darren Rouanzoin:That's happening. That's happening. There's gonna be a new wave of vocational mission missionaries, but all of us have open doors all around us. We just need to see it. You need to see that God has put you exactly where he wants.
Darren Rouanzoin:There's never there's never been a you where you are. Doctor Seuss again. There you go. Imagine the places you'll go, the places you'll see. There's never been a you.
Darren Rouanzoin:Imagine the threat to the kingdom of darkness if you recognize that he put the door there. And what do you do with doors that are open? Just walk right in. Again, let's get it. This is this is lots of theology for you.
Darren Rouanzoin:This is lots of study. You walk through the open doors. Not just that. There's never been you there. So there's never been a you knowing that you have a key that has access to all of his stuff.
Darren Rouanzoin:And because you've been raised in an environment week after week in a liturgy that says here as in heaven, you are now walking everywhere you go with these open doors going, no. Here as in heaven. Here as in heaven. On my street, at my workplace, at this coffee shop, in the business that I oversee, may it be yours lord because this is your open door for me to minister through. Do you see what I'm getting at?
Darren Rouanzoin:Wake up church to the open doors. Should we pray? Alright. Can we all stand together?
Intro/Outro:Thank you so much for listening. For more information, please visit us at garden.church.