Revelation 3:18-22

This church, in its pride and self-sufficiency, was blind to their own condition. Because of their apathy towards God and love of money, they didn’t even realize the dire straits they were in. Jesus counsels us to come and find our fulfillment in Him rather than in the society around us. And the call is individual, which is an incredible privilege.

Laodicea: the Lukewarm church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • Their water came from aqueducts and was lukewarm by the time it reached the city in contrast to Hierapolis had hot springs and Colossae had fresh cold water from the mountains
  • Also known for their wealth due to its location on major trade routes (capable of rebuilding itself after an earthquake in AD 60 without Roman aid)
  • They produced rich black wool from their sheep and also had some significant medical advancements such as their eye salve

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • Christ addresses the individual people
  • He calls himself the (1) Amen - the final commendation of God’s will, (2) faithful and true witness - the representation of God to man, and (3) beginning of creation - the beginning that started all things.

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • Christ knows these people and their works
  • They are lukewarm, they make Jesus sick (hot is cleansing and cold is refreshing, but they were neither)
  • They were deluded about their own condition
  • They were marked by self-sufficiency and pride, when what they really needed was only to be found in Christ (3:18)
  • Love of money was a real problem
  • Jesus calls them to personal renewal of their zeal for Him

IV. The Lineup in Church History (representative)

• • The parallel is with the modern church age in our time

V. The Lesson for us (type of church)

• • Across church history, we see a trend of churches moving away from God, but we as individuals do not have to. The church was instituted to be a beautiful and good thing in its inauguration, but as Jesus foretold would happen in the kingdom parables, it has largely become something distorted, corrupt, and hideous as we will also see in the progression of these seven.
  • While the majority of churches have moved towards the world, there is a remnant of people who have not, and the call goes out to believers to be zealous and repent. It falls to us tot let Christ into our lives and to fellowship with us and us with Him. That is the invitation of these letters.

Revelation 3:14-17

This final church is a cautionary tale to modern Christianity, because we struggle with the same apathy and lukewarmness that they are accused of by Christ. Today we start to get a glimpse of this church and the problems Jesus points out. May we have soft hearts to hear His rebukes to us and to repent.

Laodicea: the Lukewarm church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • Their water came from aqueducts and was lukewarm by the time it reached the city in contrast to Hierapolis had hot springs and Colossae had fresh cold water from the mountains
  • Also known for their wealth due to its location on major trade routes (capable of rebuilding itself after an earthquake in AD 60 without Roman aid)
  • They produced rich black wool from their sheep and also had some significant medical advancements such as their eye salve

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • Christ addresses the individual people
  • He calls himself the (1) Amen - the final commendation of God’s will, (2) faithful and true witness - the representation of God to man, and (3) beginning of creation - the beginning that started all things.

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • Christ knows these people and their works
  • They are lukewarm, they make Jesus sick (hot is cleansing and cold is refreshing, but they were neither)
  • They were deluded about their own condition

We will continue to look at this church next week.

Revelation 3:7-13

This is the loyal church, and how we should wish to be characterized this way. This church was not impressive—they had little strength, were little in number, relatively out on their own, and misunderstood by those around them—but they are directed by God, reliant upon His strength, and assured of the destruction of the wicked. Some of the encouragements we can glean from this section are (1) God opens and closes doors in our lives, (2) we are to be an outpost for the gospel in the world, (3) God will keep us from the tribulation, and (4) we must focus on being faithful.

Philadelphia: the Loyal church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • “Brotherly love” is something Sardis lacked
  • The city was a gateway to the east from the west, an outpost of Hellenization, small but had a big impact on spreading Greek culture
  • It was a loyal frontier city with an over-sized reputation, it became known for surviving through resilience, going on for centuries even being built on a fault line that brought earthquakes and volcanos

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • He that is holy, true, and has the keys of David
  • He openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • God opens and closes doors Ecclesiastes 7:13
  • They had little strength, but God supplied the rest
  • We must withstand being misunderstood (by the early Jews and later by the Catholics)
  • We will be kept from the hour of temptation 1 Thessalonians 5:9
  • God’s judgment of the wicked is an act of mercy to us, making our suffering not for nothing

IV. The Lineup in Church History (representative)

• • Represents the missionary age from the 19th century until now

V. The Lesson for us (type of church)

• • Our job is to hold fast to what we have been given
  • We will stand and give account for what we did with the glorious gospel

Revelation 3:1-6

The church at Sardis teaches us lessons about formalism or dead ritualism. Perhaps this comes out most frequently in some interpretations of end times. Christ tells us to watch for His appearing and not defile our garments, and to those who do this, he promises white raiment when we are with Him in heaven. That is to be our hope in this life!

Sardis: the Lifeless church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • They were prosperous and full of immorality
  • Located on cliffs, it was thought to be secure, but the city failed to be watchful and Cyrus king of Persia took over the city
  • About 300 years later, the Greeks overtook the city the same way

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • Christ that has the seven Spirits of God—making alive

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • This church had grown cold and ritualistic, they were wrapped up in formalism, but they were devoid of God’s power in their lives

IV. The Lineup in Church History (representative)

• • Historically, this perfectly marks the reformation era in church history
  • The Catholic Church had become so secular and politically mainstream that people began to yearn for a return to Scripture
  • The reformation accomplished some good things, they “made a name for themselves” in areas such as justification by faith, study of the Word of God, and a focus on the glory of God
  • But the reformed denominations were just as ritualistic and formal as the Catholic Church, just in their own way (exercising hierarchy, persecuting dissenters, emphasizing rigid externals)
  • They made a name for themselves but were ritualistic and dead

V. The Lesson for us (type of church)

• • A steadfast belief in the second coming of Christ is necessary for a Christian to be alive and filled with the power of God
  • Right eschatology is necessary for living hope
    • Many churches today teach post-millennial eschatology and interpret prophecy through a partial-preterist lens (the belief that many of the judgments prophesied in the New Testament and Daniel were fulfilled in the first century rather than in the distant future). This is the puritan or historical reformed eschatology, it looks good, but it’s dead. But watch what Christ says
  • We are told to watch, strengthen the things that remain, remember the word of God, hold fast, and repent
  • He repeats the instruction to watch
  • We are called to live pure and holy lives as we wait for His coming
  • The reward for waiting is that He will come!

Revelation 2:18-29

The church at Thyatira represents an age in history when the Christian church became mandatory, and that is not a good thing. In the letter to this church, Christ instructs them that He is the true Son of God, that they should not tolerate false teaching, and that we can look forward to the coming kingdom when the world will be made right. All of these things should encourage us today as we strive to live for the Lord.

Thyatira: the Licentious church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • This was a smaller city
  • Dominated by trade guilds and commerce
  • Religiously very pluralistic

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • Son of God, establishing deity
  • Eyes of fire, depicting judgment
  • Feet of brass, depicting authority

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • Commends their works, charity, service, faith, patience, and works
  • Condemns their tolerance of false doctrine, they had an indifference towards truth, immoral mixing with the world, eating things sacrificed to idols
  • We need to be extremely careful with those who claim to be teachers of the Bible
  • It seems the self-proclaimed prophetess ‘Jezebel’ must have encouraged or justified participation in pagan associations and clubs
  • We must reference the Word of God to know how we ought to live - we must study and commit to God’s commands and principles
  • Not everyone had gone along with the undermining of Christian living
  • To these, Jesus offered encouragement to continue holding fast

IV. The Lineup in Church History (representative)

• • The Roman Catholic Church period was a time of mixing paganism with Christianity
  • Truth became secondary to works, ungodly sacraments, and rituals
  • Some in this time continued to guard and follow the truth

V. The Lesson for us (type of church)

• • Don’t justify or excuse living like the godless world
  • Those who remain committed to the Lord will rule with Him when He sets up His kingdom of righteousness, we will be able to fully embrace the world when the world is made right

Revelation 2:14-17

The goal was to spend one week per church, but we are taking a week to catch up. Pergamos teaches us that we should not grow comfortable in the world or begin to tolerate ungodliness. The world uses harsh persecution, false teaching, subtle enticement, and many other tactics to draw us away from Christ, but we must allow the truth of God’s Word to cut through the lies of society. If we stay faithful to God, we will be filled and we will find our identity in Him.

Pergamos: the Lax church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • The capital of Asia Minor, seat of authority
  • In the course of the world and of geopolitics
  • The church was prone to be mixed with the world
  • Many compromised to join the culture’s welcome (verse)
  • One of the greatest dangers of the Pergamos mentality is the subtle lie that if you live your life totally devoted to God, it will be a waste
  • In some ways, persecution is easier to bear because it is direct opposition, whereas the tendency to compromise and give into a welcoming environment can be harder in some cases I really think

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • God’s Word discerns our hearts

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • The good, after Christ and good examples
    • Holding fast the name of Christ
    • Not denying the faith
    • Antipas, the faithful martyr - look at him, he was all-in for the Lord and look where it got him, it cost him his life… what a waste… but God praises him and uses his example as a model and a mentor that we should follow. It is good to have godly role models and be 1
  • The bad, described in doctrine
    • Doctrine of Balaam - idolatry of the heart
    • Doctrine of the Nicolaitans - clergy rules the laity

IV. The Lineup in Church History (representative)

• • Following the persecution, the church became accepted in Rome
  • This church mirrors the time period from roughly AD 300-600
  • The church became accepted and adopted elements of the world

V. The Lesson for us (type of church)

• • Repent of the comfortableness with the world
  • The Word of God cuts through the error of society
  • The saved will be filled and will find a new identity in Christ

Revelation 2:12-17

In some ways, persecution is easier to bear than the invitation to join the world because persecution is direct opposition, whereas compromise can seem inviting. One of the greatest dangers of the Pergamos mentality is the subtle lie that if you live your life totally devoted to God, it will be a waste. But if we follow after Christ, find clarity in His World, and look at the godly role models around us, we can have the right perspective. Don’t believe the lies and propaganda of the idolatrous world, let God’s Word divide out the truth.

Pergamos: the Lax church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • The capital of Asia Minor, seat of authority
  • In the course of the world and of geopolitics
  • The church was prone to be mixed with the world
  • Many compromised to join the culture’s welcome (verse)
  • One of the greatest dangers of the Pergamos mentality is the subtle lie that if you live your life totally devoted to God, it will be a waste
  • In some ways, persecution is easier to bear because it is direct opposition, whereas the tendency to compromise and give into a welcoming environment can be harder in some cases I really think

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • God’s Word discerns our hearts

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • The good, after Christ and good examples
    • Holding fast the name of Christ
    • Not denying the faith
    • Antipas, the faithful martyr - look at him, he was all-in for the Lord and look where it got him, it cost him his life… what a waste… but God praises him and uses his example as a model and a mentor that we should follow. It is good to have godly role models and be 1

Revelation 2:8-11

The church at Smyrna was intensely persecuted because they did not conform to the idolatry that was required of them. And they suffered for it. Some of the main lessons from this church are that we have the strongest fragrance for Christ when we are pressured by persecution, riches are only found in Christ, and we have a different perspective than the world—an eternal perspective—that allows us to be faithful even unto death. May we have courage like the believers of Smyrna did.

Smyrna: the Lacerated church

I. The Location (literal local church)

• • Smyrna was a thriving commercial Roman city, a center of business
  • They had a temple to the emperor, where worship to caesar was required
  • Citizens had to offer a pinch of incense on the altar to the emperor
  • Christians were excluded from the economic successes of Smyrna
  • If you have seen the movie Polycarp, it describes this city
  • There was intense persecution here, and many Christians caved
  • The name means “crushed” signifying the making of Myrrh, an incense
  • When myrrh is crushed, it gives off a sweet-smelling fragrance

II. The Likeness of Christ

• • “The first and the last” - unchanging, constant, outlasting
  • “Which was dead, and is alive” - conquered death
  • The embodiment and provider of eternal life
  • He died, faced the ultimate persecution, to give us life
  • Jesus knows…

III. The Letter to the church (merits and warnings)

• • Works, tribulation, and poverty for their steadfastness
  • In the world’s estimate they were in poverty, but they were rich in Christ
  • They were courageous in the face of pain and poverty
  • They labeled things the way that God did
  • Nothing negative is said about this church
  • They are told to not fear, though things would not get better physically
  • The reality that things might never get better in this life for us
  • They were to stay faithful and stay focused on the eternal rewards

IV. The Lineup in Church History (representative)

• • There were ten Roman emperors who intensely persecuted the church
  • This was the period of AD 64-310 (extending beyond these churches)
  • From the apostolic time to Emperor Constantine, ten great periods
  • It would be intense, one right after the other
  • But there was a light at the end of the persecution
  • There was a beginning and an end
  • Compared to eternity, it is brief

V. The Lesson for us (type of church)

• • We serve a Savior Who is alive and the author and finisher of our faith
  • When we face persecution or exclusion, we are an incense to God
  • True wealth and riches are found in Christ
  • Live for the eternal rewards, not the circumstantial