“The Church Is The Lampstand”

Message given by Rex Beck on January 14th, 2024

John saw that the lampstands are the churches

Revelation 1:10–13
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded
across His chest with a golden sash.

Revelation 1:20b
…the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

We are to put our light on the lampstand

Matthew 5:14–16
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and
put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

The Golden Lampstand

Exodus 25:32-35
“Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its
one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. 33 “Three cups
shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three
cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; 34 and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35 “A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand.

The almonds show God’s life and authority

Exodus 25:34-35
and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35 “A bulb shall be
under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand.

The almonds show God’s life and authority

Numbers 16:3
They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

Numbers 16:41
But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the LORD’S people.”

The almonds show God’s life and authority

Numbers 17:2–3
“Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father’s household: twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. You shall write each name on his rod, 3 and write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers’ households.

Numbers 17:8–10
Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. 9 Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the LORD to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. 10 But the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.”

The church displays God’s authority because it is the pillar of the truth

1 Timothy 3:15
but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought
to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the
living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

1 Corinthians 14:23–25
Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in
tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that
you are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted
man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 the
secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and
worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.