I. Driving in Medellin My Car Lights Went Out.  A. While going down a steep incline in the mountains, the headlights suddenly went out. I had to stop quickly.  B. Without light, danger greatly increases. In another case, I was in pilot training, flying out of Keene. Just at takeoff it began raining and became very black.e It was a desperate moment but God brought me through. II. Message From Revelation 1:10,12,13,20  A. Candlestick - church. The prophet sees 7 candlesticks. The number 7 is a number of perfection.  B. Christ is in the center of the candlesticks. The Lord has always been at the center of the church. III. Functions Of A Candlestick  A. Provides Light   1. Great need today. Isaiah 60:2. Darkness is covering the world today. People are searching for light. I am impressed by the number of people writing Adventist World Radio seeking light.    a. Materialism - East & West    b. Even theologians. 2 Timothy 3:1,4,5 Even the religious work has a form of Godliness but no power to change lives.    c. Religious people. Example is Christian bands and music that has the form of Godliness in that they use religious lyrics but are in all other ways worldly.

  2. Hunger for material things does not satisfy - only Christ can. He is called the Bright and Morning Star and will satisfy your inner desires.
 B. The flame of the candlestick brings warmth.
  1. The church is to show love that attracts.
  2. Situation today. Matthew 24:12
   a. Neighborhood, national.
   b. International, in the family.
Nation shall rise against nation - India and Pakistan - we do not know what is going to happen - but we should respect each other.
  3. Brother in another city. I was riding on the bus and met a young man who said "I have found a church where there is love!" I knew the church of which he was speaking.
 C. Conditions necessary for the church to light up and warm up. (Seeking the igniting fire of the Holy Spirit.)
  1. Fire - must not be strange.
   a. Nadab & Abihu. Leviticus 10:1,2. It was not the fire God gave them. The did it on their own. This is still a danger of Christians today.
   b. Oil - Holy Spirit.
   c. Dead works without the Spirit. Only that work done with much prayer will have lasting power.
  2. Candles - Consecrated Christians
   a. Attendance at church indicates consecration.
   b. Work.
   c. Perseverance to do God's will.

IV. Work Will Be Finished - Laymen And Ministers Must Cooperate.
How can God's work be done when millions and millions of people have never heard God's name? It is only through the Holy Spirit that the work can be completed.

 A. "The brilliant light that flashed between the living creatures with the speed of lightning represents the rapidity with which God's work will FINALLY ADVANCE TO ITS TERMINATION." T2:353 translated from Spanish.
 The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second.

 B. Paul said it this way. Romans 9:28. Cut short the work in righteousness. The Seventh-day Adventist church is growing by leaps and bounds. Countries that have been closed are now opening up. In India the work has always been slow, but just last year in one series of meetings over 15,000 were baptised.
In Afganistan there were no know Christians. Now with the change that has happened it has opened possibilities that never before existed.

 C. Let us dedicate ourselves to do this work.

Even today we see that Christ remains the center of the church.