Sunday Bible School
July 20, 2025
The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part LVII
Sunday Bible School
July 20, 2025
The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part LVII
Summary of the president’s message
The Sunday Bible School on July 20th, 2025was held live, directly from the Communications Center of the Maranatha Christian Church, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, with the participation of pastors Alexandre Gueiros, Gilson Sousa and Josias Junior.
Message from pastor Gilson Sousa:
We greet all the brethren with the peace of the Lord Jesus! We are starting Sun-
day Bible School. The subject to be presented is the book of Revelation: the message of the Holy Spirit resonates in the midst of the Faithful Church, in relation to the prophetic markers that are being fulfilled in our day, in the preparation of the Church for the rapture.
Pastor Gilson Sousa presented the answers given by various brethren to the questions posed, as well as various experiences and testimonies.
Question
Answered through video contribution
Reading Revelation, chapter 3,
The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part LVII
verse 7, what glorious titles are attributed to the Lord Jesus in the church of Philadelphia? Make the prophetic application.
Answer: Holy, true and the one who holds the key of David.
Prophetic application:
Holy: He is the one who sanctifies the church, preparing it for the rapture.
True: He who sanctifies the church in truth by the Word (John 17:17).
“[...] These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”.”Revelation3:7
Question
Answered through video contribution
Reading Revelation, chapter 3, verse 8a, comparing it with Matthew, chapter 13, verses 45 and 46, identify the behavior of the church in Philadelphia. Make the prophetic application to the church of our day.
Answer: Jesus revealed to the church as the pearl of great price.
Prophetic application: Through
the revelation of Jesus, given by the operation of the Holy Spirit, the doorwas opened for evangelization throughout the world. No one can close that door, the door of salvation, because it remains open to this day.
“I know your works. See, I have set before you anopen door, and no one can shut it[...]” Revelation 3:8.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it..” Matthew13:45-46.
Question
Answered through video contribution
Reading Revelation, chapter 3, verses 9a, identify the great operation of the Spirit of knowledge or revelation.
Answer: Operation of Jesus' Spirit of knowledge or revela-
tion, to counteract (correct/rebuke) those who have strayed from the truth.
“Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jewsand are not, but lie[...].” Revelation3:9.
Message from Pastor Alexandre Gueiros:
I would like to add to what has already been said by making a few additional comments about the church in Philadelphia. We already know the meaning of the word “Philadelphia”. Philadelphia comes from the Greek. "Philos" is love and "adelphos" means brothers, i.e. brotherly love.
Pr. Gilson Sousa conducting the Sunday Bible School
Pr. Alexandre Gueiros conducting the Sunday Bible School
The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part LVII
The Philadelphia period saw the second outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the life of the church. The first outpouring took place at the time of Ephesus, in the apostolic church, in the first century, at the feast of Pentecost. The second outpouring took place at the end of the last times. Joel prophesied about this blessing.
"And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old menshall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28.
These outpourings included the “former rain and the latter rain”.
“Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will
cause the rain to come down for you –The former rain, and the latter rain in the first month”.
Joel 2:23(added emphasis).
The early rain was the rain that prepared the seed so that it would grow. This happened in the early church at Pentecost. After the first rain usually came a period of little rain. But before the harvest, there was one last rain. This rain preceded the harvest so that there would be plenty of fruit. It was called the “latter rain”.
Through these outpourings, the church received power. It wasn't just power to heal the sick and perform wonders, but mainly power to evangelize, to proclaim the good news and to live a life that was pleasing to the Lord: a life of sanctification.
The salvation that the Lord proposes to us is in sanctification of the Spirit and in obedience.
“elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.” I Peter1:2.
Philadelphia, therefore, is the time when the Lord presents himself as “Holy”. And the Word of the Lord also says: “Be holy as I amholy”.
“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” I Peter1:15
The Lord requires holiness if we are to live in his presence. This will only be possible if the power of the Holy Spirit is upon
The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation -
us. We don't want the power of the Holy Spirit just to receive spiritual gifts, although this is extremely important. We need spiritual gifts toabound in the fruit of the Spirit, according to Galatians 5:22-23. Jesus also emphasizes: “...and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart...”(Matthew11:29). This is one of the aspects that the letter to Philadelphia teaches us.
The very meaning of Philadelphia is love between brethren. It is love for one another. This love leads us to pray for one another, carry one another's burdens and suffer with those who suffer. When there is love between brethren, the body of Christ becomes a reality in our midst. This love is produced by the Holy Spirit. Love for the brethren in Philadelphia, brotherly love, was a reality, and we are the Church of Philadelphia.
In Philadelphia we find the promise of the return of the Lord Jesus.
“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come uponthe whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
Revelation3:10
Message from Pastor Edson
Iahn
As Pastor Alexandre mentioned, those whowere the “remnant” in Sardis multiplied in Philadelphia with the revivals. In Laodicea, on the other hand, the church would live in the time of the rights of the people, human rights. This is the meaning of Laodicea.
With the industrial revolution in England came the factories and the replacement of manual labor by machines, along with labor rights. The French Revolution also came with the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity. It was now man who ruled all things. The church would go through this time. In the 19th century, there was a worldwide movement towards human rights. This is the moment the church is living through.
We have nothing against human rights. They are important. However, we are servants of our God, and we submit to what the Lord determines. However, this mentality has entered the life of the churches, leaving aside the operation of the Holy Spirit. It's the democratic mentality -the people decide. But praisebe to God, the Lord is still sovereign in our midst, His will prevails. Unanimity in our midst is present, as it was at the Council of Jerusalem.
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:”
Acts 15:28 (Added emphasis)
The Lord never denies us his counsel. He is always willing to present his purpose. In this way, we live ready to carry out the Lord's will.
For Philadelphia, the Lord's reference was love among the brethren. But for Laodicea the word was: “you are neither cold nor hot”
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot!”
Part LVII
Revelation3:15.
In conclusion, in all things, we consult, we listen to the Lord's answer, and we obey. Our position is the same as Samuel's: “Speak, for Your servant hears” (1Samuel 3:10).
Click here or scan the QR Code below to watch the entire sunday bible school session.
May the Lord bless us
Pr. Alexandre Rubem Milito Gueiros President of the Maranata Christian Church
Sunday Bible School
July 20, 2025
The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part LVII