7 Churches (Conclusion)

Many of us have experienced both sides of the coin when it comes to “Listening.”

Either being “listen too” or “Listening.”

We have also experienced when someone is NOT listening to us.

or when we were CAUGHT NOT LISTENING TO SOMEONE.

For many of us .... this last scenario is the one we remember most.

When you were a kid with your parents!

With you spouse! (Ex-spouse)

With your boss!

All of us can testify to the fact that we have not always been “Good Listeners”

You know there is a difference between hearing and listening?

Tell the Story of Lucas “He doesn’t have a hearing problem, He has a hearing problem.”

I am not trying to beat us up about this fact.

We all have had good reasons!

Focused on something else at the moment!

Could hear well enough!.

What I find interesting is when it comes to hearing, it is not JUST about HEARING what is being said but it’s more so about UNDERSTANDING. “Do you hear me?” you are saying “Do you Understand me?”

There have been many things I have heard people say but I didn’t understand.

EXAMPLE: Shelly and I watching TV and the Lady in a blue dress was on the screen.

“Stealing is WRONG”

I heard what she said, I just didn’t understand what she was specifically talking about.

She explained why she said this .......

When it comes to our walk with Christ, it’s not just hearing what Christ is saying that is important but understanding what Christ is saying!

Let me show you what I mean as we conclude this journey we have been on in the 7 Letters written to the churches found in the book of Revelations.

Recapping

The Name of the Churches are identifiers found at the beginning of each letter.

The one who is addressing the churches is revealed next.

We come to understanding that Christ Knows everything about these churches as well as everything about everything.

He gives acknowledgment of the good things these churches were doing.

He then reprimands the churches calling them to repent or changes their ways.

The conclusion of each address to the 7 churches are very similar but not identical to some degree.

We are going to look at only Rev. 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

But this theme is repeated in 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, & 3:22

Here is what is repeated, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

“He who has an ear...”

When you look at the Greek wording and how this phrase is structured you can read it in a couple of different ways ......

“If you can hear.”

“You have ears, so hear.”

“You can hear can’t you, so listen.” (This one kind of sounds like my mom.)

The latter part of this verse reads, “Let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.”

The Greek word for “hear” is [Akouo].

This word has a couple of different meanings:

Primary meaning is “To hear”

Secondary meaning is “to understand”

We know that this is a command because the word [Akouo] is an (imperative).

Hear what?

“What the Spirit says!”

This is where the rubber meets the road!

Not just hearing but listening, (understanding) what the Spirit is saying.

Not just to these specific churches!

“to the Churches” (Plural)

Remember .... we looked at the word “Hear” which is [Akouo] and we find to mean not just the ability to hear but to understand.

Hearing/Understanding is to always lead to obedience.

As James would remind the churches, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” James 1:22

Obedience is what will make one a “Conquer”

The Greek word is [Nikao] which is found to be used in a military dynamic.

This word has no direct object; what is implied is all that is opposed to the Christian faith.

The Christian life is seen as a combat against the forces of evil.

Denotes the victory of a steadfast life of faith over the temptations and trials indicated, and over all adverse things in general.

Let me close with this thought in mind ....

Our victory is a participation in his victory.

It is critical to realize that in the seven letters the victory is a promise held out to all of them, even the weak churches of Sardis (3:5) and Laodicea (3:21).

Yet it must be achieved through perseverance.

“Our lives must declare the victory of Jesus over sin and death, with confidence in the ultimate triumph of his work over all the power of the enemy.”

Thus it demands faithfulness and a determination that we will place living for him alone above all earthly things.

To be an “overcomer” in the eschatological war is to understand our identity (Child of the King, Victors in Christ) and it demands a day-by-day walk with God and dependence on his strength.

Hear - Understand - Obey!