Hear What The Spirit Says:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Rev. 2:29

Background

In light of my messages around Jesus the Shepherd.

Call to Worship:

Rome and the surrounding territories became increasing hostile to Jesus’ followers after His death.

Paul was gone, as was Peter.

According to tradition, every disciple, except one, was martyred for their faith.

The Apostle John while exiled to a rocky, inhospitable island called Patmos, is spoken to in a vision, by Jesus.

As those of you who have read The Book of Revelation, the only book with a written promise to every person who reads it, you know that Jesus reveals far-off future events, and in particular, Jesus gives John messages for each of the seven churches in Asia Minor.

There were words of encouragement and correction, and even today, they identify the kinds of struggles Christians face, and they teach us how to live and to overcome trials.

Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea were literal churches that existed in Asia Minor (modern Turkey).

The churches were strategically located along a major Roman road.

Ephesus, the gateway to Asia Minor, was located at a major harbor on the Aegean Sea and housed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (a temple to Artemis). Founded by Paul, this was the most prominent church in Asia Minor.

Smyrna, the home of Homer and the temple of Athena, was a beautiful, bustling seaport. In the second century A.D., Rome martyred Polycarp, its bishop.

Pergamos, the location of Rome’s provincial capital, was a major cultural hub that housed a library rivaling the famed Alexandrian library.Thyatira, founded under Alexander the Great, was noted for its trade, particularly purple dye. Lydia, one of Paul’s converts, came from this region (Acts 16:14).

Sardis, the ancient capital of the Lydian kingdom, was situated atop a plateau and sustained a series of foreign conquests.

Philadelphia, the “Gateway to the East,” was renowned for its grapes, textiles, and leather goods.Laodicea, the ancient capital of Phrygia, gained wealth through trade and banking. It was also known for its medical school and costly fabrics.

John’s Vision of the Lampstands (Revelation 1:9-13)

7 golden lampstands are the seven churches.

The Apostle John, having been the overseer of the churches in Asia Minor, he was banished from society by the Romans to reduce his religious influence (verse 9).

Exile was a horrible sentence, second only to the death penalty. In this context of persecution, John received the most detailed vision of things to come given to any apostle.

One of the first things John notes is that he saw seven lampstands representing the seven churches and standing among them was “One like the Son of Man” (verse 13).

At first, John had a hard time recognizing Jesus. To John, the beloved to Jesus, looked much different.

Jesus had striking white hair and eyes of fire, feet of brass; embodying age, wisdom, and dignity befitting a judge.

His eyes of fire and feet of brass are the eyes to which nothing is hidden, eyes that travel to a fro seeking righteousness and the eyes judge all mankind (Psalm 11:4; Hebrews 4:13).

John described Jesus mouth: the sound he heard as Jesus voice and the sword.

Jesus voice, like roaring waterfalls, drowning out all other voices.

The sword represented the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

And, in His right hand, Jesus held “seven stars,” representing His authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20).

This vision of Christ was so awe-inspiring that John “fell at [Christ’s] feet as dead” (verse 17).

Jesus, is no longer meek and mild in this vision, but awesome and terrifying.

His messages to the seven churches serve as encouragement and also warning of what they were experiencing, how they were handling themselves and a huge emphasis of encouragement to all who will listen.

When Jesus says that he "walks among the seven golden lampstands", he is fulfilling the special promise he made to us about when we congregate for worship and ministry work: "Where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them" (Matthew 18:20).

Jesus came as the “light of the world” (John 1:9; 8:12), and then commissioned us to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

I want you to picture tJesus who was and is standing in His rightful place in the midst of the churches.

Every church—then and now—is to be a lampstand shining forth the Light of Jesus in this dark world.

Jesus takes such a personal interest in—that he even walks among us—Valley View, today!

He knows, personally, what is going on in that congregation and He knows what is happening in this fellowship too.

Seeing Christ the King.

Remember, Repent, Repeat David Jeremiah

One reason I am preaching this morning is because I am moved by the encouragements and the warnings. I find a little of myself in each of the characteristics listed in these churches.

I am living and feeling them in my heart.

I think each of us should be sensitive to this message that Jesus is giving, wanting us to listen to.

Even with the warning that he gives to the Ephesian church in these letters, that “I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (verse 5).

There is a price to pay for drifting away.

Sardis: Revelation 3:1-6

and as Jesus reminds the Church of Sardis,

Maintain a Distinct Identity

Speak Truth in Love

Be Subject to the Authority of God’s Word (verse 3)

How do we find balance in a world that is so divided, so chaotic, so off course?

Suppose the Lord Jesus were to visit us today and stand in here in front of us,

What would Jesus say to Valley View?

I think he would say three things to us:

Be faithful, persevere and overcome.

Be Faithful

“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).

Given the intensity of the persecution in Smyrna, I believe Christ was saying, “Yes, you may lose your life for My sake, but be faithful until the end.”’

Now dear friends, apply that to your faith in Jesus. The question is not whether you have ever fallen in love with Jesus, but whether you will stay in love with Jesus.

Jesus is sifting your heart to see Maybe you’re as active as ever in doing all kinds of work for Jesus Christ, but why are you doing what you’re doing? Is it coming from a place of love?

Persevere

This past year has been a challenging one for our church yet by God’s grace we are still doing ministry today.

Though we are separated from the believers at this church in Ephesus by 20 centuries, we also know what its like to encounter problems, challenges, and difficulties and the temptation to grow weary and give up.

There had been plenty of opportunities to give up. The hardships had been severe enough and had been lengthy enough that they could very easily have “grown weary,” could very easily have pleaded fatigue, but they didn’t and neither should we.

Overcome (Revelation 2:26-29)

All who would choose faithfulness “until the end” would become conquerors. Christ promised that they would rule the nations with Him during the Millennium, and they would be raptured to heaven with Him—the “Bright and Morning star”—before the Tribulation (Revelation 22:16).

You are here too! Not because anyone is forcing you, but because of the Spirit of perseverance in you, a spirit that is committed to the ministry Jesus has given us here.

That spirit shows itself in a willingness to work not only to keep this ministry alive, but to do what we can to help it thrive by working hard and working together!

There are many things that threaten the life and vitality of a congregation. But there is only one that preserves spiritual life and promotes spiritual vitality: pure biblical teaching.

The same peace of conscience that set you free to joyfully, gladly, willingly serve him, its that same peace that prompts you to practice what Jesus preaches when he says: “Do the things you did at first.” What were you doing when you were on fire for the Lord?

“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7).

God grant each of us a richer measure of his Spirit so that we keep on doing what Jesus commends without growing weary and giving up when the going is rough and the work is thankless!

Take heart! For Jesus’s mercy and His forgiveness are new every morning! Renewed and strengthened through his forgiving love, may our hearts, our lips, our lives echo this fact, you will love me to the end. Let me love you more and more, Always better than before. Amen.

NOTES:

If you had been John on the island of Patmos, how would you have responded when Jesus appeared in all His glory? Why did Paul say we “glory in tribulations”? (Romans 5:3-5

Christians are not called to be combative or antagonistic, but there is a better way than that chosen by Pergamos.