Conclusion of the 7 churches

We are enemies of the cross. He loved us that He gave His life for us. He gives us a warning. He asks us to repent starting from Genesis to Revelation. Why should God do so much for us?

He doesn’t want any of us to perish and He desires us to live holy and righteous life. God wants us to experience Him truly. Let us evaluate our own hearts and minds and ask God to show what He wants us to do individually!

God Bless!

LUKEWARM CHURCH (Rev 3:14- 22)

This is the final letter to the seven churches. The Lord’s introduction is that He says, “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God,” What a sobering and fitting introduction! He begins his self description with a foundational title. “The Amen” which in Greek means, “be firm.”

1.     Character of the Church

This church was lukewarm- Neither cold, nor hot. In that day the word cold was used to describe spiritual indifference and hostility towards the truth. And hot means boiling, a metaphor describing one who is passionate and who is on fire for God and His glory. But this church is neither hot, nor cold! There were tepid, putrid hypocrites. They claim to be Christians but have no time to serve God! They hear the words of the pastor but do not do them. They hear the truth and they know the truth but their hearts don’t pursue the truth.

So, he says, “I will spit you out of My mouth” and lists 5 things here.

1.    Wretched, which means vile, despicable.

2.    Miserable and it pictures someone who deserves extreme pity because of the current condition of their soul that will ultimately perish in an eternal hell unless he repents.

3.    Poor, which pictures a beggar who is crouching in his destitution. (What a contrast to the fabulous wealth they enjoyed!)

4.    Blind because they are unable to see the spiritual truth.

5.    Naked because Salvation is sometimes depicted as a garment and they don’t have it!

2.     Advises

Jesus then advises the church. First, he says, “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich.” Rich, referring to being spiritually rich, in contrast to spiritual poverty that they refused to acknowledge. Secondly, he says, “Buy from Me...white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed”. We need to buy from Jesus the white garments of salvation, producing deeds of righteousness that will validate genuine saving faith. And then, thirdly, the Lord says, “Buy from Me... eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see”.

3.     Promises

And then he appeals to them in verse 19. “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” He says in verse 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.” Now the picture of the Lord standing at the door at knocking is one of immediacy, one of urgency. Jesus not only offers believers fellowship with Him but also the privilege of reigning with Him.

People want to experience the love of God but want to live a worldly life too. They worship, sing, hear the word of God but do not do them. Many churches are lukewarm now!

God Bless!

 

FAITHFUL CHURCH (Rev 3:7- 13)

There’s no rebuke from our Lord Jesus Christ, only words of encouragement to this Church at Philadelphia...

1.     Power of Christ

Jesus is described as the one “who has the key of David,” a key with which “He opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.” In the Bible, keys represent authority and power.

2.     Faithful Perseverance for Christ

Jesus says to this church, “You have a little strength.” It refers to a church that is a small church, a struggling church, a church that was not very impressive on the outside, just a little power, just a little influence, just a little strength, a church persecuted and yet, faithful. Those “who say they are Jews and are not, but lie” refers to those who reject Jesus as the Divine Messiah. These are the Jews who live in Philadelphia who have excluded the Christians from worship at the synagogue. They have excommunicated the Jewish Christians. Jesus calls them “the synagogue of Satan.” persecuted and yet, faithful. Jesus says “you have kept My word, and not denied My name.”

The “hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world” is a reference to the “Great Tribulation”, Jesus has words of high praise for Christians who keep on in the midst of trials and difficulties. Remember, God has not called you to be successful. He has called you to be faithful. Commit to faithful perseverance for Christ.

3.     Future promises in Christ

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown."(3:11)

He’s not talking about the possibility of losing our salvation. The idea is, don’t get your eyes off the goal. Stay focused and you will receive the reward of a crown of blessing. God will reward your faithfulness. Don’t get tripped up by the attraction of the world around you. Keep moving.

“The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.” (3:12)

Because of the earthquakes, the citizens in Philadelphia were often forced to move outside the city limits and start over. So Jesus is speaking metaphorically here. He speaks of stability and permanence that is found only in Him. “He who overcomes,” that is, “the true believer, the one who perseveres to the end,” Jesus says, “I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.” We are secure, we are stable, in Him. Writing names symbolically mean that Christians belong to Jesus.

This church represents faithful, obedient, evangelistic, missionary minded and carried out the great commission. We are to fulfil and carry out the great commission- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and spirit. Love your neighbour as yourself.

God gave them an open door. The more you are faithful, the more spiritual doors he opens. When the going gets tough, the true Christian keeps going.

God Bless!

DEAD CHURCH (Rev 3:1- 6)

Chuck Swindoll gives us 4 main reasons of why churches die:

1) Worship of the past!

2) Love of tradition over love for Christ!

3) Inflexibility and resistance to change!

4) Losing evangelistic and missionary fervor!

1.     Faithless are rebuked

The church at Sardis was a church that was dying on the inside. Like diseased cells in a physical body, these bad cells were attacking the good cells and the body was becoming affected to the point that Jesus actually calls the church “dead.” The problem at the church at Sardis is that there were many more faithless than there were faithful.

Jesus refers to Himself as “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” Our Lord Jesus has with Him the Holy Spirit and He also has “the seven stars.” The star is the representative of each church. It reminds us that Jesus possesses each church. Jesus is the Lord of each church.

2.     Fellowship Restored

There are five verbs in verses 2 and 3 that will tell us how the church’s fellowship with the Lord is restored.

-         Be watchful

Stay awake. Never forget the tendency to become sleepy and lazy with regard to spiritual things.

-         Strengthen what remains

Get busy with these works of love, faith, and service.

-         Remember what you have received and heard

     Continue to remember the things you have learned. This speaks to the importance of regular attendance to the worship service and Bible studies.

-         Hold Fast

Do you love the things of God? Do you have a Bible and read it regularly? That’s the idea here. Hold fast the truth in your hand. Don’t let it go. Regard it as the precious treasure that it is.

-         Repent

Turn back to God. Change the way you think about God and spiritual things and change your behaviour. Get back to doing the things you know you should be doing.

3.     Faithful Rewarded

There are a few in the church who are not dying. There were not many, but there were a few. They are the church’s faithful. They have “not defiled their garments.” Their garments are “white” and so they will “walk with the Lord in white, for they are worthy.” The faithful to Christ will be forever clothed in white garments. This phrase reminds us of our need for forgiveness. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, our Lord writes down our name into the registry of heaven. Do others know about your Christian faith? Do you regularly confess Christ before your family, friends, and co-workers? If so, the Lord Jesus will confess you before His Father and before His angels. You will die and stand before the God of judgment. And Jesus will say to the Father, “He is mine.” And Jesus will say to the angels, “He is mine.” And Jesus will say to everyone, “He is mine.”

If we remain in sin, we remain separated from God. If we die in sin, we spend eternity separated from God in a place called hell, a place where judgment of sin takes place forever and ever. The good news is that Jesus Christ is in the resurrection business. Just as the church in Sardis could be resurrected from the dead, so can we! Let us keep a check on ourselves regularly- Are we walking dead?!

God Bless!

CORRUPTED CHURCH (Rev 2: 18 - 29)

This was the longest letter of all the seven letters. The problem here was inside the church of Thyatira...

1.     Be Mature

Notice that Jesus uses, for the first and only time in the book of Revelation, the title the "Son of God." There are people who claim that Jesus never said that he was the Son of God, but here is one of several places in the New Testament where he makes that claim very clearly. He is described as the One who has “eyes like a flame of fire” and “feet like fine brass.” These two descriptions refer to the omniscience and omnipotence of Jesus Christ. Jesus says, “as for your works, the last are more than the first.” That’s Jesus’ way of saying, “You’re growing; you’re maturing.” We must take seriously the Christian’s maturity. Jesus expects Christians to advance in the faith. He expects us to “grow up” in our faith. Physical maturity does not necessarily indicate spiritual maturity. When we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ expects us to grow spiritually. The church in Thyatira took this seriously. They were known as a church that was growing spiritually.

2.     Bad signs

Jesus says- “Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling" (2: 20, 21)

Jezebel is the wicked Phoenician wife of Ahab who led the Northern Kingdom of Israel into idolatry and immorality. So Jesus refers here to a woman in the church who “calls herself a prophetess.” In other words, “I have not called her into the ministry. She has called herself. She is a false teacher, teaching a false theology. She is seducing My servants to commit sexual immorality and things sacrificed to idols.

3.     Promise to the overcomer

“To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations that one will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery, just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star." (2: 26- 28)

Christians will rule with the Lord Jesus Christ during the spectacular time of the Millennium. We must take seriously the Christian’s eternity. We live not for this life only, but for eternity. And “Who is the Morning Star?” In Revelation, our Lord Jesus identifies Himself as, “The Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

When we choose Jesus, we receive all the blessings the Father gives in Him and through Him. And when the end comes, we will meet Jesus face-to-face and it will be a glorious meeting when we are greeted by the “Bright and Morning Star.”

God Bless!

 

COMPROMISING CHURCH (Rev 2: 12-17)

To the church at Pergamos...

1.     Remain Committed

“These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.” (2:12)

The sword is a symbol of justice. The Roman proconsul resided in the city of Pergamum. The sword was a reminder of who was in control. The Romans were in control. Had power to execute. Jesus says, “I am the True Power.” I am the one with the double-edged sword.

“I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives”. (2:13)

He knows where we dwell, where we live. Isn’t that encouraging? But Christians at Pergamum dwell, “where Satan’s throne is.” Jesus knows where we dwell. Some might be working in hellish places. Stand firm in Christ. Stay faithful to Christ.

This church was commended for staying faithful to Christ even in the midst of severe persecution. Christian tradition has it that Antipas was locked inside of a brass bull which was heated with flames of fire so that Antipas was literally roasted to death. Christ referred to Antipas as His “faithful witness.”

2.     Never Compromise

 There were two false doctrines that the Lord hated:

-         Doctrine of Balaam (eating food sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality)

-         Doctrine of Nicolaitans (Nicolaitans conquered people and lead the chuch astray into sexual immorality and wickedness)

It seems “the doctrine of the Nicolaitans” is tied closely to the “doctrine of Balaam,” so that to “hold to” the doctrine of one is to “hold to” the doctrine of the other. So Jesus condemns the church at Pergamum because it was willing to compromise the truth for human philosophy.

Jesus says Repent or else He will come quickly and will fight against those sinning in the church! Think of it! Are we fighting with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?! God wants His church to be separated from all evil and all compromise.

3.     Receive Correction for the Reward

Turn. Change of mind. Change of heart. Change of behavior. Remain committed to Christ. Refuse to compromise Christ.

“To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it” (2:17)

‘Hidden manna’ probably refers to the manna Moses told the people to place in a jar and placed inside the ark of the covenant. Spiritually, God feeds His people in ways the world does not know. ‘White stone’ probably alludes to practice of giving a stone to special people such as victors of the Roman games or elite members of certain guilds. ‘New name no one knows’ probably should be taken with Revelation 19:12 where it speaks of the second coming of our Lord, who will come having “a name written no one knew except Himself.” Whatever this new name means, it is to be connected with Jesus. He knows us. He possesses us.

“What we live is what we really believe. Everything else is just religious talk.”

God Bless!