Study of Revelation wk 14

The Seven Churches wrap up

Tonight we are going to look at a summary or a conclusion of the seven letters to the seven letters to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation.

As we have looked at these seven churches I want us to go back and now look at the major points of each letter.

We will start with the letter to Ephesus, look at the things Jesus said to them and after looking at the seven we will then discuss the seven as a group.

I. Ephesus

Again the first church Jesus spoke to was Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7

Revelation 2:1–7 NASB95

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6 ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

First, we see the location in verse one which is Ephesus.

We then see the commendation in verses 2-3 which Jesus tells the church, I know your deeds, toils, perseverance, that you cannot tolerate evil men, that you test those who call themselves apostles, and you have persevered and have endured and not grown weary.

Jesus has painted a picture of the church life in Ephesus, one can possible affirm that the church at Ephesus was diligent, hardworking church characterized by great patience in the apostolic endeavor, a love for moral purity, and an unquestioned orthodoxy.

Then Jesus gives the criticism in verse 4, saying, You have left your first love.

Perhaps Ephesus had succeeded well in many areas, but the maintenance of that success had become more important than the motivation for service - namely, the love for Christ.

The expression “first love” has biblical precedent since the highest commandment explicitly declared in both the Old and New Testament is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Jesus then gives the command to change this in verses 5-6.

He says to the church, Repent and regain your first love.

If the church does not repent and come back, Jesus will remove the lampstand which is the church.

We must understand that neither God nor his kingdom is endangered by the removal of a church, even one as successful and strategic as Ephesus.

Jesus, God does not need us but decides to use us.

Then in verse seven, we are given the promise, that if we will repent and turn back to God and put Him in first place, that we will be granted to eat of the tree of life, that is have eternal life.

II. Smyrna

Revelation 2:8–11 NASB95

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: 9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Here we have the church of Smyrna, Which Jesus does not give a Rebuke to and is only one of two churches that is not rebuked.

In verse nine, Jesus gives the church the commendation that they have been through a lot of tribulation and that they are in poverty even though they are rich.

Now that does not make much sense, but God is saying they are in physical or worldly poverty but spiritually they are rich.

Here is a promise that because of the conditions of poverty and tribulation through which Smyrna believers were walking, their value in God’s eyes was exponentially increasing

The reason they were in poverty and going through tribulation was that there were Jews in Smyrna that were not following God.

Jesus said even though they claimed to be Jews, they were not the people of God and in fact, they were a part of the synagogue of Satan.

They may have been Jews by lineage but they were not Jews spiritually.

The Exhortation in Verse 10 the first half of the verse tells us that the Smyrna believers would be cast into prison, and tested, go through tribulation of 10 days.

The Smyrna believers were encouraged not to fear any of these sufferings.

The Lord offers instead the promise that some of them were going to be sent to prison as a part of testing and that they were going to experience tribulation for ten days.

Then we are given the Promise in the second half of verse 10 and verse 11.

Be faithful until death and receive the crown of life, and will not be hurt by the second death.

Some maybe martyrdom for their faith, but God has them. I am always encouraged by Matthew 10:28

Matthew 10:28 NASB95

28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

See Jesus promises the crown of life here, and that we will not be hurt by the second death.

the crown of life is for winners, no matter what we may suffer in this life, in the next life, in paradise with Jesus we are winners and we will not be hurt by the second death.

Which the second death is not an actual death but is the separation of the soul from God and its confinement in the place the Bible denominates as Hell.

III. Pergamum

Revelation 2:12–17 NASB95

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 ‘But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 ‘So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 ‘Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’

Jesus says to the church at Pergamum that He knows they dwell where Satan’s throne is, and that they have held fast to His name, and did not deny the faith when Antipas was killed.

Antipas was believed to be the pastor of the church at one time. Therefore, Jesus says, well done that when the enemy killed the pastor you did not deny the faith, you did not back down, but you held fast to My name.

But Jesus says there are some things I have against you, because you are allowing the teachings of Balaam, and the Nicolaitans in the church and you are eating food that has been offered as sacrifices to idols.

Another words there is rampant immorality being tolerated in the church at Pergamum and nothing is being done about it.

Jesus tells them you must repent or I am coming quickly to war against you with a sword in my mouth.

The sword is His very Words that He speaks the Word of God.

But Jesus gives the promise that if they do repent and overcome, that they will receive hidden manna, that is God will sustain the church by providing for it and for those that overcome.

Thyatira

Revelation 2:18–29 NASB95

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20 ‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 ‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 ‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 ‘And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 ‘But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. 25 ‘Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 ‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The letter to Thyatira is the longest of the letters

Jesus gives the commendation to the church in verse 19, saying they have love, faith, service, and perseverance.

Their deeds of late are greater than at first, that is they have grown in Christian maturity.

Then Jesus turns to the Rebuke, which is they tolerated the woman Jezebel.

Jezebel brought and taught acts of immorality. Jesus said, I have given her and her followers time to repent, but they have refused too.

Because of their unwillingness to repent Jesus says I will cast her on a bed of suffering.

Her children are going to be killed so that all the churches will know that Jesus is indeed the Lord, the One who searches the hearts and minds and repays each according to his or her deeds.

Jesus does say though that there are a few that does not hold or follow the teachings of Jezebel and He will not place any further burdens on them, but they are to hold fast to His teachings until He comes.

And if they do He will give them authority to rule that is to be pastors during the millennial reign, and receive the morning star, that is the abiding, close imminent and eternal fellowship with the Lord Himself.

Sardis

Revelation 3:1–6 NASB95

1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 ‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 ‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Here we have the church at Sardis the dying church.

In the second half of verse 1, Jesus says you have a name of being alive, but you are dead.

Jesus does not look on the outside but the inside of things.

The reputation of the church at Sardis was life, but the reality was that they were dead.

The church was in decline due to a failure in evangelism, which would eventually issue in the total demise of the congregation.

Jesus tells the church to wake up, strengthen what remains, before it even dies.

The church had not filled the standards expected by the risen Lord.

Jesus then tells them, Remember what you received and heard, keep it, and repent, or I will come like a thief.

The threat here suggest that dead and dying churches are frequently oblivious to either their condition or to the imminent threat.

Jesus then gives His promise, few have not soiled their garments, they walk with me.

The fact that some in Sardis had not soiled their garments is probably an indication of righteous and holy living and might suggest that part of the problem at Sardis was similar to that found at Thyatira and Pergamum which is false teachings.

Philadelphia

Revelation 3:7–13 NASB95

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: 8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. 10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 ‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The church at Philadelphia is the second of the two churches that did not receive a rebuke from Jesus.

Jesus gives them the commendation of having an open door that no one can shut, that is a door of missionary expansion, evangelism, service, doing the work of the ministry.

The church at Philadelphia had little strength, which is an allusion to the small number of believers but they had kept the Word of the Lord and had not denied His name.

Because the church had persevered Jesus says, I will keep you from the hour of testing that will come of the whole world, this is a promise that the church will not be present for the tribulation.

Jesus then says I am coming soon, which is another promise that the Lord’s return will be quick, not necessarily soon, as in time, but when things start to happen, His return will be quickly.

Then the church is asked to keep a tight hold on that which they have so that no one will take your crown, this is the victor’s crown.

This is not saying that they can lose their salvation, but the purpose of this admonition here is not to lose the reward.

Laodicea

Revelation 3:14–22 NASB95

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

The last and most heard of church, the church at Laodicea.

Jesus says to them you are neither cold nor hot but are lukewarm.

They are lukewarm because they are not depending on God but believe they can do it all on their own, Jesus tells them that they say, I am rich and have no need of nothing.

Jesus then tells them, you do not know that you are wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

This wealth city, its church had abundance but still was wallowing in spiritual filthiness.

Despite its rich woolen industry, the church was exposed and humiliated before God.

The Lord said the church at Laodicea had an opinion about itself - namely, that it was rich and had need of not one thing.

Jesus then tells them that they need to buy from Him gold refined in fire, white garments, and eye salve.

Faith is sometimes reference in the Bible as being like fine gold.

The church is urged to recognized its inadequacy and in faith to seek the face of God, where alone there is adequate understanding, love and power.

The church is invited to secure white clothing so that the shame of their nakedness would no longer be apparent.

They need to buy a heavenly eye salve that will give them both discernment and vision, the physical problem of blindness is here used as a metaphor for the spiritual condition.

Jesus then says, those I love, I reprove and discipline - because Jesus loves the Laodiceans He has rebuked them and seeks to give them disciplined training as He would to a child.

He tells them to be zealous and repent.

The promise Jesus gives is that even though He is not found on the inside of this church, He is standing at the door knocking to get in, so that He can once again have fellowship with the people.

The reason the church has encountered such sharp criticism at the hand of the Lord is that it was so self-sufficient as to become an end within itself.

The question to be answered is always the relationship to the local church. Is Jesus on the inside embraced, loved, honored, enthroned, and followed? or is He on the outside knocking and calling for entrance to the entity that bears His name?

Wrap up

We must have passion for Jesus and keep Him first in our lives.

We are to endure in our faith and stand strong no matter what we are faced with even if it cost us our life, but remember God has us in His hands, and has a plan for our lives.

We are not to allow false doctrines to come into the church, and if there is anything that goes against the Word of God we must put a stop to it, because if we do not it will quickly work its way in and start to create division and death to the church.

All false doctrine is of Satan, as Jesus more than once refers to it of Satan.

We may be able to fool those around us, and those in the community, but Jesus looks at the heart, and we may look like we are full of Spiritual life, but be spiritually dead.

We better wake up, not be lukewarm, but be on fire for God, that is to have that passion to do what God has called us too.

He provides the open doors for ministry, we need to be awake and aware so that we can be used by God to do the work He is calling us to.

And we need to repent of the sins that are in our life.