Revelation 3

Introduction

I am glad to once again be back with you guys as we continue to look at this book of blessing, the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Think with me for a moment about all the churches you have ever seen or heard of, whether in the United States or in the rest of the world.

It doesn’t take a solid Christian to see that a lot of these churches have strayed away from the Biblical teaching and are not operating the way that they should be.

I have seen secular celebrities such as TV hosts question the integrity of some of these churches, that call themselves Christian but preach a different gospel that shows a love for wordly things and very little love if any for the savior of the world, Jesus Christ.

Finding a solid church in the midst of all these worldly churches can be a challenge and I can tell you that those of us here today are blessed to be a part of a church that has a high view of God and a high view of Scripture.

Transition

We are currently looking at the letters to the 7 churches.

Last week we looked at the first 4 and this week we will examine the last 3.

We will see tonight one solid church in the midst of two very wordly churches.

This is comparable to today, seeming as the good churches are few surrounded by worldly churches every which way we turn.

I also explained in the last message some common things we will see in these letters which I think would be good to review before we begin.

These 7 letters were to 7 actual churches in the Asia Minor area, but symbolically apply also to the complete church.

These letters are written to the angel of the churches which is something like a guardian angel that watches over the church.

The main point of the message last week was that there is a reward for the one who conquers or overcomes, which worded differently in all the letters, is equivalent to eternal life, which we will see in all three of these letters as well.

Lets take a look at these 3 churches.

The Church In Sardis

English Standard Version Chapter 3

3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. 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.’

We see instantly in our letter to Sardis, the symbolism of 7.

The 7 Spirits of God being the complete Holy Spirit

The 7 stars being the 7 angels or all of the angels, but also a symbol of sovereignty

There were coins around that time that had the face of Caesar and seven stars around it showing that he is the sovereign king.

Christ in this letter is reminding this church that he is actually the sovereign one.

This church has a reputation of being alive but they are dead.

Have you ever seen one of those churches who look so good on the outside?

They have the giant church building, a ton of friendly faces, the top technology, a state of the art worship team but spiritually, they are dead.

This is how this church in Sardis was.

Christ is calling this church to wake up and get with the program because he has not found their works complete.

How does a church like this wake up?

They must go back to what they received and heard.

If ever I fail to keep up with my Bible reading or I have to miss church for a while because of work, I begin to feel as though I am spiritually dying.

As soon as I get back in the word or get back in church where the word is preached, I instantly begin to be refreshed.

This is what this church needs to do.

They need to get back to the gospel and what they were taught at first.

They need to get back into the Word of God.

If they get back to the teaching they first heard and keep it they will be alright but if not Christ will come against them as a thief in the night.

Although this church was just about dead, there were still a few there who have remained faithful.

These people have not soiled their garments and will walk with him in white for they are worthy.

It is because of Christ alone that one is worthy.

It is because of our faith in Jesus that we are able to walk with him in white or in righteousness, the righteousness being his.

Sin had left a crimson stain but Jesus washed it white as snow.

It is because of the cross of Christ that those who approach the savior in faith have their soiled garments washed and walk with him in white.

The one who conquers is clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

It is not their own righteousness but we see that it is given to them.

The one who conquers will never lose his salvation.

They will have their names confessed by the Lord Jesus as one of his own before the Father and his angels.

The Church in Philadelphia

English Standard Version Chapter 3

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

8 “ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, 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 from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The church in Philadelphia is one of two of the seven churches that Christ does not condemn.

Christ addresses himself as the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

It is as simple as this.

If Christ has opened the door for you to come to him, no one can shut that door.

If Christ has closed the door for you to come to him, no one can open it.

Jesus says he knows the works of this church and he has set before them the open door which no one can shut.

What makes this church so special?

They have but little power and have kept his word and not denied his name.

I picture a little church here in Philadelphia in an area heavily populated by false Jews, leaving the church little power in itself to stand against these fake Jews.

Their little power is fine because Jesus will intervene on their behalf and make the synagogue of Satan or the false Jews respect this church and realize that he has loved them.

Because this church has patiently endured and remained faithful even with their little power, they will not share in the trials that are coming towards the non-believers aka those who dwell on earth.

This does not mean the church will not suffer, but they will not receive the same and more severe trials as the wicked.

Christ is coming soon.

This is all the more reason to hang on or hold fast, their complete salvation is not far away at all.

The one who conquers will be made a pillar in the temple of God.

Never shall he be removed because he will have the name of God, the city of God, and Jesus own new name written on him.

This is the same as belonging to God and dwelling with God in the new Heaven and Earth through the victory of Jesus.

The Church in Laodicea

English Standard Version Chapter 3

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so 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 eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered 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 church in Laodicea is known for its two different sources of water.

One source came from the Hieropolis and that water was hot water, said to be about 95 degrees.

The other source of water was cold and came from Colossi.

Christ addresses this church saying I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot!

We can think of a good use for hot water.

A nice hot shower or bath can be really refreshing and healing after a long day.

Cold water is very good for drinking.

Lukewarm water on the other hand would make you sick.

Christ addresses this church as lukewarm and saying because of that, he will spit them out of his mouth.

Last week we saw that Smyrna was known for being poor but Christ says they are rich because they are in good spiritual condition.

This church is the exact opposite.

They were very rich materially but very poor spiritually.

These people were so concerned about their money and not at all concerned about Jesus.

What should a church like this do?

Trade these riches in for the gold of Christ,

With this gold they can buy white robes

and salve to anoint their eyes

In other words, they should not place their faith in their riches but in Christ so that they may truly be rich.

With this faith in Christ comes the riches of the righteousness needed that only he can give.

and he will cure their spiritual blindness.

Those whom he loves he disciplines so be zealous and repent.

It is a good father who disciplines his child where he goes wrong so that he does not make the same mistakes.

A father who doesnt love his child will not discipline them and allow them to continue in the error of their ways.

Those of us who believe in Jesus, it is because we are loved children of God, that he does not let us continue in our error but disciplines us so that we repent.

This church is in need of repentance.

Christ stands at the door and knocks and the one who opens Christ will come to eat with him.

This means that the Spirit is willing so that the one who repents, even though they have lost that good fellowship with God because of their sin, will be returned to fellowship.

The one who conquers will reign with Christ in heaven.

Review

We have seen the church in Sardis was in very bad shape although there were still some there who were faithful.

The church in Philadelphia receives no condemnation and has an open door before them that no one can shut.

The church in Laodicea was in the worst condition of them all, not even some who remained faithful were mentioned.

Application

As we begin to close, what is it that we have learned from these churches today that we can put into practice?

This church in Sardis has taught us that just looking like a Christian is not enough but we must act like one and live like one!

Are you somebody who goes through all the motions but has never experienced Christ?

It is time for you to wake up!!!

Just because you go to church every Sunday, or your parents are Christians, and you check the Christian box on every application, does not make you a conqueror.

English Standard Version Chapter 5

4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

It is about our active faith alone in Jesus that we are saved and conquerors.

A result of this active faith is that we repent from our sin and do good works.

Christ is coming back soon so you must not be found asleep.

Get into the word of God and be strengthened by it.

The church in Philadelphia has taught us to remain faithful even though it may seem that we are powerless.

When this whole world promotes and practices sinful things, we remain the minority and it may seem that we are powerless, and we are in ourselves.

but we know that it is through Christ that we are victorious and he has the fullness of power, and this same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us believers.

We are weak in ourselves but powerful because God lives in us.

Forsaking our sin can be one of the hardest things, especially when we are not heavenly minded.

We know that Jesus is coming soon and our crown is waiting for us, so let us endure patiently and set aside every sin that is hindering us.

The church in Laodicea has taught us that the main purpose in life is not about wordly success but about Christ.

Some people spend their whole lives chasing after worldly riches and die spiritually poor.

It is better to have no money and have Christ than to have all the money without Christ.

If we have found that we have our hearts set on anything more than Christ, we are in error and must take Jesus advice.

He tells us to trade that in for Him, in whom there is infinite value.

As good as money may seem, it is not enough to have a positive righteousness on judgement day and it will not give you spiritual life.

Our love for the gifts must never exceed the love of the giver.

Christ has given us all things in himself.

Let us put aside these worldly distractions and come to our true treasure, the Lord Jesus Christ

Lets pray!