The Seven Churches - Ephesus

Notes from our Wednesday night Bible Study...

Revelation 2:1-7

Him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.

• What do the stars represent?
• What do the lampstands represent?
• Jesus is saying, “These words are from the one who is with you and will not forsake you. I hold your destiny in my right hand.”

Praise

• I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance…
• Tested those who claim to be apostles but are not…
• Major concern is falling away due to false teaching.
• Distorting the Word
• Weakening its power and authority
• Opposed to the churches in Pergamum and Thyatira who were warned about their acceptance of false teachers.
• You have persevered hardships and have not grown weary.

Warning

• Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
• Who or what is the first love?
• Knowing correct doctrine, obeying some commands, and worshipping in a church are not enough.
• We must have a heartfelt love for Jesus and his Word.
• Paul said that I can have all the knowledge in the world, but if I don’t have love I’m nothing.
• Consequence for continuing as they are…
• They will have their lampstand removed from its place.
• He will remove that church or congregation from his Kingdom.
• Any branch that does not bear fruit will be cut off.
• Love is one of the fruit of the Spirit.
• Fruit also is produce.
• Any church that does not produce will be cut off.
• It’s useless.
• Our ability to produce disciples in the Kingdom of God is directly linked to the love we share.
• Get back to your reason for existence.
• To enjoy the life God has given you.
• To love people into the Kingdom of God.
• We have three core values at First Assembly.
• Everything we do should be for the purpose of building relationships with God and other believers.
• Transforming lives to be like Christ.
• Every member pursuing ministry and investing themselves into others.
• That’s the heartbeat of our first love.
• When we get off track, we lose focus and end up as a social club.
• We need to stay centered on what we’re here for.
• It’s all about the love of God and how to effectively show that to everyone.
• When we forsake our first love, other things get an unnatural amount of importance.
• Music styles
• What we wear or don’t wear.
• We get concerned about what kind of people come to the church.
• Power struggles.
• And the real love of God gets forsaken over petty things.

Admonition

• Repent and do the things you did at first.
• The solution to fix this problem is repentance.
• To repent, you first need to acknowledge your error.
• The problem is that a lot of people think they’re right all the time.
• I’ve even heard people say, “I don’t care what the Bible says, I want to do this” or, “I don’t want to do that.”
• The picture I get of the church in Ephesus is that of staunch tradition and legalism.
• We hold to the Word of God with strength.
• We shall not be moved.
• The outflow of that are traditions of men and legalism.
• They know their doctrine.
• But if they had really understood it, they would have held on to it with love instead of an iron fist.
• Why do we try to protect the gospel?
• It’s not ours to protect.
• It’s ours to live out and spread around.
• It’s God’s unchanging gospel and the world is not going to damage it.
• Let’s talk about the social security issue again.
• One side says, “Let’s keep it in a locked box.”
• All the experts agree that won’t work for the long haul.
• But it seems to be the safest course of action.
• The other side says, “Let’s let it out of the box.”
• It just might work.
• But it’s risky.
• I want to draw a parallel between that and the gospel.
• Let it out.
• Try new things.
• Take risks.
• Nothing great has ever been accomplished without risk.
• Don’t be afraid to fail.
• Get out of the boat, and get the gospel out of the box.
• God’s love is the driving force of this.
• Paul said that Christ’s love compels us.
• God’s whole motivation for doing everything he did and still does is his great love.
• Let’s get back to our first love.

Encouragement

• But you have this in your favor, you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
• Who were the Nicolaitans?
• No one really knows, but there is fairly good certainty about their practices. (1 of 2 things…)
• They taught that is was okay for Christians to sin and indulge in immorality because what is done in the flesh does not affect the spirit.
• They taught that one had to indulge in sin and immorality so that you could have a proper understanding of it and a more educated stand against it.
• Does this sound like anything you’ve heard in modern times?

To him who overcomes I will give the right to eat of the tree of life.

• When Adam and Eve sinned, they were forbidden from eating of the tree of life.
• Before they sinned, they were forbidden to eat of only one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• They could partake of the tree of life as much as they wanted.
• It was planted right in the middle of the garden.
• Once they ate of the forbidden tree, sin sprang to life and produced death in them.
• The life they had been receiving was cancelled out.
• God took extraordinary measures to insure they would not be able to eat of the tree of life again and live forever in their fallen state.
• Now, we, by overcoming sin through the blood of Christ, are granted permission to partake of this tree.
• Here in the last book of the Bible we see the culmination of God’s eternal plan.
• Ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, God has had a plan to bring mankind back to the kind of relationship him in the garden.
• Here Jesus says, “You will eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God.”
• It’s not an earthly garden.
• It’s a better garden paradise in Heaven.

The Seven Churches - Smyrna

There is no transcript for the church in Smyrna because Randy Pogue filled in that night while my family and I were on vacation. He did an excellent job teaching about the Smyrna church.

In order to complete the set, I will at some point add a study on the Smyrna church.

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The Seven Churches - Pergamum

Notes from our Wednesday night Bible Study...

Revelation 2:12-17

The sharp, double-edged sword.

• What is this sword?
• To each church, Jesus identifies himself with a different picture.
• To the church in Ephesus he was the one who holds the seven stars and walks among the golden lampstands.
• To Smyrna he described himself as the first and last who died and came to life again.
• Why do you suppose Jesus used the imagery of the sharp, double-edged sword with the church in Pergamum?
• This is a sword of justice.
• The word of the Lord is a sword that cuts right through to the heart of a matter.
• It discerns our motives and actions.
• It judges the thoughts and intentions of our heart.
• He says, “These are the words of the one who knows everything about you.”
• I know you inside and out.
• I know where you live.
• In spite of where you live, I know that your heart is still faithful to me.
• Another thing is that Rome had given Pergamum the rare authority of capital punishment, symbolized by the sword.
• Christians there were very familiar with that sword.
• It was one of fear.
• But the sword of Christ was one of comfort, hope, and encouragement.

Pergamum – where Satan dwells

• The second largest city in Asia.
• Center for politics and religion.
• It was thought to be very advanced.
• It had the second largest library in the world with over 200,000 volumes.
• The largest in the world was in Alexandria.
• They wanted to build a library greater than Alexandria, but Egypt tried to stop this effort by cutting off the exportation of papyrus.
• This forced them to come up with another kind of paper—parchment, literally “of Pergamum.”
• It had a major university for medical studies.
• One of the major gods they worshipped was called Asclepius.
• God of healing.
• Medical symbol.
• Many considered it to be the most illustrious city in all of Asia with its magnificent buildings and extreme wealth.
• It had temples to many gods including Zeus.
• The first city in Asia with a temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus.
• It became a center for emperor worship.
• Many think this explains the reference about being the dwelling place of Satan.
• Do you think it is Satan’s literal throne or figurative?
• Personally, I don’t think it’s a literal earthly throne.
• But it is a place where the influence of Satan and evil was everywhere—a place where he felt welcomed.
• Is there a city in the U.S. that comes to mind when you think about this?
• Las Vegas—aka, Sin City.
• It’s a city where people travel hundreds and thousands of miles to bow to the idols of money and sex.
• So you understand what kind of place this was.
• Add to all of that violence toward Christianity.
• Christianity stood opposed to everything the citizens of Pergamum were so proud of.
• So they persecuted the church and killed Christians.

• One of those Christians was a man named Antipas.
• Not much is known about Antipas, but I want to spend some time talking about him anyway.
• He was martyred for the cause of Christ.
• It apparently happened at a much earlier time (…in the days of Antipas…)
• Jesus called him “my faithful witness.”
• Rev. 1:5 – Jesus is called the faithful witness.
• Jesus here pays tribute to this martyred saint by giving him the same title that he himself bears.
• What does Jesus say we will be in Acts 1 after the Holy Spirit comes upon us?
• His witnesses.
• A witness tells about what he has seen.
• Jesus said of himself, “I only say what the Father says.”
• That’s what we do also.
• Sometimes being a faithful witness can make you unpopular.
• A faithful witness speaks the truth no matter what.
• In a place like Pergamum, where it would be very tempting to compromise, he didn’t.
• That’s what I see not only in Antipas, but in the church at Pergamum.
• Isn’t it great that there was a church in a city like Pergamum?
• Uncompromising in the face of such pressure.
• Jesus commended them for it in verse 13.
• “You did not renounce you faith in me, even in the days of Antipas.”

• But the church was not without its problems.
• There apparently was a segment of the congregation that did not represent the values of the leadership and the church at large.
• On one hand he said that the church was faithful and uncompromising.
• Then he says that there are people within the church who are compromising.
• So there was this faction in the church that didn’t get it.
• But he was holding the entire church responsible.
• Why? Because a few can affect the whole church.
• It’s the churches responsibility to deal thoroughly with sin.
• So what were these people doing?
• Following the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans.
• Balaam is a reference to the distant past.
• The Nicolaitans are a reference to current things.
• Balaam taught Balak how to lead the Israelites into sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and indulging in sexual immorality.
• Who was Balaam and Balak?
• Balaam was a false prophet who sold his services to an evil king named Balak.
• He was paid to curse the Israelites for Balak, but instead ended up blessing them because God wouldn’t let him curse them.
• But somewhere in the meantime, Balaam gave Balak some evil advice.
• He showed Balak how he could get the people of Israel to compromise their faith in God.
• He recognized that God was their protector.
• So if he could get the people to compromise, that protection would be weakened and they could be destroyed.
• Numbers 25:1 – “While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab.”
• We took a look at the Nicolaitans a few weeks ago.
• The Nicolaitans believed you could be a Christian and indulge in sin at the same time.
• The big message here is compromise.

• Compromise with the world is dangerous ground.
• It’s spiritual adultery.
• James 4:4 – “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
• of adultery as the worst thing a husband or wife could do to each other.
• But Christians do it to God all the time.
• Sunday morning we talked about doing things God’s way verses doing things the world’s way.
• When we do things the world’s way—accept and live by worldly standards—we are compromising.
• We’re committing spiritual adultery.
• In a world where truth is what you want it to be, we stand out as different.
• Sometimes we can be the biggest appeasers in the world.
• We ignore sin because we don’t want to hurt feelings or cause problems.
• Obviously we don’t want to ignore sin or hurt anyone’s feelings, but a line has to be drawn somewhere.
• If you identify yourself with Christ then live like it! No compromise!

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give him three things.

• Some of the hidden manna.
• Heavenly food.
• It sustained God’s people.
• It was a sign of God’s faithfulness and presence with his people.
• Jewish apocalyptic teaching says that God will once again use literal manna from Heaven to feed his people.
• Many believe this will happen during the Great Tribulation.
• This could also be in relation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, because they will also receive a white stone.
• A white stone.
• An inscribed stone was commonly used as an invitation to a banquet.
• It’s your placeholder at God’s table.
• It’s your ticket to Heaven.
• Another use for stones at this time was in court.
• When a case was tried, jurors would drop a stone into an urn to decide a verdict.
• A black stone for guilty, a white stone for innocent.
• So whichever way you want to look at it, he who overcomes will be declared not-guilty and have a place reserved in God’s Kingdom.
• A new name.
• Some think this will be the name of the Lord.
• But I don’t think so.
• It says that it will be known only to him who receives it.
• He will give us a stone that has a name specific to us inscribed upon it.
• It was common, when something momentous happened in a person’s life, for their name to be changed.
• Abram to Abraham; Jacob to Israel.
• All throughout Scripture you see this happen.
• When you were born, you were named according to your parent’s experience.
• Jacob name means “grabber” because he grabbed the heal of his twin brother as they were being born.
• Later God changed his name to Israel which means, “struggles with God.”
• This happened after he spent the night wrestling with the Angel of the Lord.
• We’ve watched Israel struggle with God throughout history.
• The new name represented who that person was.
• Their character and purpose.
• They were named after who they really were.
• Our parents named us based on what they thought best and what they liked.
• But one day something momentous is going to happen and we will be changed.
• Jesus himself will then give us a new name based on who we really are.
• Specific to us.
• He knows us.
• When Jesus hands us that white stone that declares us not guilty and reserves our place at God’s table, we will know the name written on it to be us.
• It will bear witness with us that that’s who we really are.
• I know “Paul Church.”
• The thought of “Paul Church” inheriting the Kingdom of God seems almost impossible for me.
• The name “Paul Church” represents weak, corruptible flesh.
• But God knows my real name—a name that represents who I really am.
• Isaiah 62:2 – “You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.”
• Out of his mouth comes the sharp, double-edge sword that knows the thoughts and motivations of our hearts.
• That cuts through the exterior to see clearly what’s inside.
• So that the new name he gives us will truly be the real us.

The Seven Churches - Thyatira

Notes from our Wednesday night Bible Study...

Revelation 2:18-29

• Last week we talked about Pergamum which was a major and important city in the area.

• Commerce, science, religion

• 45 miles due east – Thyatira.

• Not an important city like Pergamum
• More of a blue collar city
• Fabrics, clothing
• Leatherwork
• Bronze work

Jesus’ Introduction…

• The Son of God
• Eyes like blazing fire
• Piercing, penetrating
• Illuminating
• Feet like burnished bronze
• Brilliant, polished, smooth, glossy
• Solid foundation / strength
• I think people in this blue collar community could appreciate a Jesus like that.
• I know your deeds.
• He says this to three churches. (Ephesus, Thyatira, Laodicea)
• What we DO is important.
• Jesus is watching what we do or don’t do.
• You are doing more now than you did at first.
• Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to happen?
• Growth was happening.
• Churches can’t keep doing the same thing if we want to please God.
• We’ve got to do more
• I know your love, faith, service, perseverance.
• Love (philo)
• Personal attachment or affection
• Toward each other
• Faith (faithfulness)
• Unswerving commitment to the Lord Jesus in a hostile environment.
• Service
• Toward the world
• They knew they had mission and mandate from the Lord.
• Go into all the world and make disciples.
• Perseverance
• Persistent determination, especially through adversity
• 2 Peter 1:6 – perseverance leads to godliness
• Romans 5,3-4 – produces godly character
• I’m reminded of Paul’s words to the church in Thessalonica.
• 1 Thes. 1:3 – “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• This church was doing something right.
• Nevertheless, there is a huge flaw in the church.
• Jesus has a few things against them.

Tolerating Jezebel

• When he calls her Jezebel, he is referring more to her character than her actual name—she is a Jezebel.
• This comes from 1 and 2 Kings.
• Ahab was one of the worst kings Israel ever had.
• It has a lot to do with his wife, Jezebel, who led Ahab to worship Baal and caused all of Israel to fall into idolatry.
• She led them astray into sinful practices, and that’s just what this woman was doing to the church in Thyatira.
• She claimed to be a prophetess.
• What that means – she led them into immorality, claiming that it was God telling her to do so.
• This was similar to the Nicolaitans and the teaching of Balaam that we discussed last week.
• She called her practices “the deeper secrets/truths.”
• They were actually what the Bible calls the doctrine of demons.
• Born from the pit of Hell.
• Food sacrificed to idols
• Acts 15 – The council at Jerusalem
• Prohibited gentile believers from eating food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, eat the meat of strangled animals, consuming blood.
• This was to separate them from the pagan religious practices around them.
• This woman led them into the first two.
• They participated in the pagan practices of the world around them.
• They mixed worship of God with worship of idols.
• They worshipped God in the same way they would worship pagan idols.
• We’re going to see that Jesus will deal with her, but the problem he had with the church is that they tolerated her.
• They let her hang around—ignored her.
• Tolerance – not only recognizing, but respecting the beliefs and practices of others.
• Does this fit with our faith?
• Now about her…
• He gave her time to repent.
• Why would he do that?
• In the meantime, she was leading people away from God.
• Romans 2:4 – God’s patience leads us to repentance.
• Is that why the church was “tolerating” her?
• God was willing to tolerate her for a while.
• His tolerance was not acceptance, it was more like endurance.
• But he knows if someone is going to repent or not, so why wait?
• Was it more of a testing of the church?

Consequences…

• It seems to be directed more at her unwillingness to repent rather than what she was doing.
• Specific for her and her children—those who followed her.
• I will cast her onto a bed of suffering.
• She made her bed, now she’s going to lie in it.
• She was a spiritual adulterous and caused other people to do the same thing.
• If that’s what they want…that’s what they’ll get.
• I will strike her children dead.
• This will happen, unless they all repent of her ways.
• The punishment will fit the crime.
• I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
• Then everyone will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds.
• I’m the one with the eyes like blazing fire who sees past the exterior and into the heart and mind.

Encouragement…

• For the rest of the people in Thyatira, those who have not followed this Jezebel, keep up the good work.
• Jesus is totally satisfied with what they are doing.
• I’m not going to put any more demands on you because I don’t need to.
• Just get rid of Jezebel woman.

To him who overcomes…

• Then he adds “and does my will to the end.” ONLY HERE
• Jesus’ words, Matthew 24:13 – he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
• Keep doing what you’re doing.
• Continue to do more and more.
• Result…
• Receive authority over the nations.
• ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’ – quote of Psalm 2:9
• Refers to the millennial reign of Christ.
• We will reign with him.
• We will participate with Jesus in fulfilling that Scripture.
• The morning star
• Jesus is called the morning star.
• Rev. 22:16
• We will be united with him forever.
• He is our gift, our life.

He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

• This is how he ends his letter to each church.
• It’s a general exhortation to listen and obey.

General message…

• Last week, no compromise.
• This week, zero tolerance for sin.

The Seven Churches - Sardis

Notes from our Wednesday night Bible Study...

Profile of Sardis

• 30 miles south of Thyatira.
• Lies in what’s now the country of Turkey.
• A river runs through the center of town that literally flowed with gold. (Gold dust from nearby Mt. Tmolus.)
• First place to ever mint coins.
• Very large Jewish synagogue – the largest ever excavated in the Mediterranean world.
• It was connected a greek gymnasium and bathhouse.
• It adjoined a row of shops.
• This tells me that the Jewish community in Sardis had most likely sold out to the culture around them in a number of ways.

…the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

• Isaiah 11:1-2 – “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse: from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”
• Jesus bears all these things.
• He is superior and the ultimate authority.
• You cannot argue with him about any of the things he’s about to say.
• The seven stars are the seven angels of the churches he is addressing.
• The messengers – literal angels or the human pastors.
• I believe there are angels given charge over areas or even churches – ministering spirits.
• God does call individuals to be his messengers, mouthpiece, to churches and nations.
• I tend to lean toward the literal angel theory.

You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.

• A good reputation is a good thing.
• But their reputation didn’t match who they really were.
• What could you speculate would be the cause of this?
• What kind of things would give a church a reputation of being alive?
• What would make them dead?
• All the outward show without the inner support.
• Is the church today living off of its reputation?

Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die.

• They were mostly dead.
• All dead – there is nothing you can do.

In verse 2 I see the reason why they were dead.

• “I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.”
• They were doing something, but only what was required and no more.
• They maintained the look and feel of a church because they had Sunday morning services, Sunday night services, and Wednesday night services.
• But there was nothing more than that.
• I see churches all over the place who are simply keeping the saints happy and feeling good.
• But they’re not fulfilling the mandate Jesus gave to make disciples.
• Remember what Jesus said to the church in Thyatira?
• You’re doing more now than you did at first.
• I’m not going to ask you to do anything more—just keep up the good work.
• He talked about their love for one another.
• Their service in the world.
• Their faithfulness to God.
• Thyatira was increasing while Sardis was decreasing.
• Presbyterian leaders project that their denomination will be dead in 50 years or sooner.
• The Episcopal church has lost 1/3 of it’s members since 1965.
• The United Methodists are losing 1500 members per week worldwide.
• I’m not trying to badmouth these churches—this is statistical fact.
• If you look at these churches, you can see trends.
• Each of them have or are looking to ordain homosexuals.
• Although they used to be highly evangelistic, they have predominately stopped these efforts.
• They are more like civic organizations than the Living Church of God.
• Lest we think we are something, if we don’t wake up and start doing what we did at the first and do more of it, the Assemblies of God will die right along with them.
• Church as usual will not get it done.
• Doing what we’ve always done will not yield better results.
• In Sardis, they had become lazy.
• They stopped caring for each other.
• They stopped reaching out to the world.
• They got a little too comfortable in the faith in God.
• The church was only a shell of what it could be.
• Jesus might call this a white-washed tomb.
• Good-looking on the outside, but dead on the inside.
• Much like the city of Sardis itself.
• In its day it was one of the greatest cities in the known world.
• But by this time, it was a far cry from its past slendor.
• It is said of Sardis that it was a city of peace.
• Not the kind of peace won through battle.
• “The peace of the man whose dreams are dead and whose mind is asleep, the peace of lethargy and evasion.”
• This deadness had crept into the church as well.
• His word is WAKE UP!
• Remember what you have received—what you have heard
• Obey it and repent.
• Repent of what?
• They weren’t participating in any sinful behaviors.
• They needed to repent for what they were not doing.
• Sins of omission.
• He’s giving them a wake up call.
• But they have to get out bed.
• If they don’t, he’ll come unexpectedly like a thief in the night.
• 1 Thes. 5:1 – “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
• It’s not that Jesus wants to surprise them.
• He’s giving them warning now.
• My return will be like a thief in the night.
• Make sure you’re awake when I come.
• There’s a reason why Jesus used this analogy.
• Sardis was known for its great military strength.
• But on two separate occasions, history tells us that the city was attacked and overthrown.
• The invading armies waiting for the cover of night and attacked while the army was sleeping.
• They were comfortable with their reputation for being strong.
• They didn’t think it would happen to them.
• But it did on two separate occasions.

You have a few people who have not soiled their clothes.

• The thought here is that the majority of the church in Sardis had soiled their clothes with sin.
• Not doing the right thing is just as bad as doing the wrong thing.
• It stains us and separates us from God.
• Jude 23 talks about hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
• These people will be dressed in white—purity
• What is on the inside will be reflected on the outside.
• Matt 5:8 – “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.”
• They are worthy of heaven.
• They will dressed in white just like Jesus is.
• They will walk with Jesus because they are worthy.
• Human being? Worthy of heaven?
• He makes us worthy.
• It’s because of our unworthiness that he wants to make us worthy.

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.

• Those who overcome the sin their in.
• Those who follow his instructions and repent.
• It’s a dead church, but there is still hope!
• How are their robes made white?
• Isaiah 1:18 – “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
• Washing in the blood of Jesus.
• That’s how he makes us worthy.
• Not by the good that we have done.
• But by his grace.

I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

• I want to reassure you on something.
• 1 Thes. 4:17 – “…we will be with the Lord forever.”
• Once you get there, you are there forever.
• Matt. 10:32-33 – “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”
• In order to make our works complete before God, we must acknowledge him before men—the world
• Stand up for him and be his witnesses.
• Then he’ll say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into my rest.”
• Then he himself will announce our names as we enter God’s Kingdom.

The Seven Churches - Philadelphia

Notes from our Wednesday night Bible Study...

Revelation 3:7-13

· Philadelphia – the city of brotherly love.

o Was called this because the king who founded the city loved his brother dearly.

o Philadelphia was a very strong fortress city situation along the paved imperial post road that helped to connect Rome to the east—like an interstate highway.

· Who was the leader of this church?

o Philip the Evangelist in the Book of Acts.

§ In Acts 21 we find out that Philip had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

§ One of them was named Ammia.

§ According to early church history, she was the pastor of the church in Philadelphia.

§ Under her ministry the church prospered and flourished.

o Compare Jesus’ words to this church in comparison with any of the others.

§ Jesus had some negative things to say even to the church in Thyatira.

§ But nothing negative at all to say to Philadelphia.

o Women in ministry…

· Jesus – Holy and True

o Holy

§ He is the Holy One of Israel—of the Church.

§ He is the one we are attaining to.

§ It’s that sense of God’s presence that he is not like us.

· He is God and not a man.

· Hosea 11:9 – “For I am God, and not a human being—the Holy One among you.”

o True

§ More than just in the sense of honesty.

§ He is the One True God.

§ Fully trustworthy in everything.

· He holds the Key of David

o This goes way back to the OT.

o King Hezekiah had a palace administrator—he didn’t want to burden himself with the daily business of the Kingdom.

o Hezekiah’s palace administrator’s name was Shebna.

§ Shebna let all of his power and authority go to his head.

§ God saw this and we see how he deals with it in Isaiah 22:19-22

§ Listen to how this applies to Jesus.

o This administrator was like a Prime Minister.

§ It was the highest position in the royal court.

§ He carried all the authority of the king as well as the keys to all the doors.

§ No one gained access to anything without his consent.

§ Details were his business.

o Jesus is not some divine being out there somewhere while we do our best to work out our lives.

§ He didn’t just give us the Bible and leave.

§ He is intimately concerned with the details of our lives.

§ He is as involved as we want him to be.

o When he said that he hold the key of David, it tells me that he is involved in our lives and he has the power to make things happen.

· He said, “I know your deeds.”

o Then as a part of his duties as the highest position in the Kingdom he says, “I have placed before you an open door.”

§ No one can shut it because Jesus is the only one who had the keys.

§ An open door to what?

· Opportunities of ministry?

· Escape from persecution?

· Is this the doorway to the Kingdom of God?

o The text doesn’t say what the door leads to.

§ But all I know for sure is they have a place to go.

§ This church is being led by God.

· I believe God is leading this church because of what is said next.

o Even though you have little strength you have kept my Word and have not denied my name.

§ You’re doing what I said to do.

§ You’re living your lives according to my Word.

§ Despite persecution you haven’t turned away from me.

o In a word…faithfulness.

§ Faithfulness to come to church—with the tithe.

§ Faithfulness at home.

§ Faithfulness on the job where it’s not a Christian atmosphere and it would be so easy to just go with the flow.

§ To keep God’s Word and live your life accordingly no matter where you are.

· Verse 9

o When a Jew accepted Christ he was still a Jew.

§ A true Jew now is one that has accepted Christ and received his salvation.

§ A false Jew is one that rejects Jesus as the Messiah and persecutes those who do.

o That’s who Jesus is talking about here.

§ But the old covenant of Judaism in obsolete now.

§ There is a new covenant in the blood of Jesus that fulfilled the old covenant.

· No longer are God’s chosen people made up of national Israel.

· Now it is anyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

o In the OT, it was foreign, pagan nations that would come to Israel and bow down and acknowledge that God is with them.

§ Here, Israel is the one that will bow down and acknowledge that God is with the Christians.

§ That God loves them.

o Philippians 2:10-11 – “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

§ Some will do that with joy and gladness.

§ Others will do it with remorse and regret.

· Verse 10

o Since you have been faithful, I will be faithful to you.

§ He will show his faithfulness by keeping them from the hour of trial coming upon the earth.

§ This is the first hint concerning what the rest of the book will talk about.

o As we study in coming weeks, keep in mind that there is a purpose for all of the prophecies we will look at.

§ Verse 10 says that the hour of trial is to test those who live on the earth.

§ Rapture…

· Verse 11

o They can only take it if you give it to them.

· Verse 12

o Earlier he said that this church had little strength.

§ They don’t have a lot of resources.

o But when I think about a pillar in the Temple, I see something quite strong.

§ A pillar holds up the building.

§ In the Temple they are very decorative.

o That’s something the Philadelphian church just can’t imagine.

o Jesus said that if you’re faithful in the little things I will make you ruler over much.

· Rest of passage…

o God rewards faithfulness.

o He’s taking them in his arms and saying, “You’re mine.”

§ I’m never going to let you go.

§ You’re a permanent pillar in my house.

§ I will inscribe my name on you and my address to show everyone where you belong.

o When we send our kids to school we put their names on everything.

§ Some things you put your address on.

§ If found please return to…

§ It’s where you belong.

· Tonight’s message is faithfulness.

The Seven Churches - Laodicea

Notes from our Wednesday night Bible Study...

Revelation 3:14-22

Laodicea

• Situation
• In a very fertile valley.
• The great Roman road that ran straight through the middle of the city.
• This combined to make Laodicea a very wealthy city.
• It was an important city for trade and communication.
• Laodicea was so wealthy that when it was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 61, the Laodiceans refused aid from Rome for rebuilding.
• It was an attitude of self-sufficiency.
• It was tradition and old money.
• In all honesty it was nothing more than pride.

Verse 14

• Jesus is the Amen
• Amen means “so be it.”
• He’s the man.
• There is no one greater to believe or trust in.
• The faithful and true witness
• He accurately testifies of God the Father.
• He said that if you see him you see the Father.
• He is the exact representation of who God is. (Heb 1)
• Ruler of God’s creation
• This is so because he made everything.
• John 1:3
• Heb 1 – he sustains all things by his powerful word.
• He’s the man, he is right, and he rules.
• The people in Laodicea were very prideful and self-sufficient.
• But Jesus is saying here, “You better listen to me.”

Verse 15

• Once again, “I know your deeds.”
• But just like the church in Philadelphia, he wasn’t concerned about their deeds.
• He doesn’t start talking about their deeds at all.
• He goes straight to the heart of the matter.
• You are neither…(15,16)
• The issue is not their deeds—what they were doing or not doing.
• The issue is their heart.
• Is your heart right or is it not.
• If it is, great.
• If it’s not, get it right.
• But don’t play both sides.
• He used the imagery of lukewarm water.
• Laodicea, despite its wealth, had poor water.
• They had to build a six-mile long aqueduct that stretched south to a water source.
• It either started off at a hot spring or a cold spring.
• Whichever it was, by the time it made the six-mile trip to Laodicea it was lukewarm.
• It was also unfit to drink.
• They had to treat their water in order to drink it.
• Drinking the lukewarm water straight from the aqueduct would make you sick and induce vomiting.
• When Jesus said that he would spew them out of his mouth, he was saying that lukewarm Christians make him sick and want to vomit!
• He’s saying, “Pick one!”
• Serve me or don’t.
• But don’t play both sides.
• It’s better to be all the way out than only half-way in.
• The church in Laodicea was enjoying comfort and prosperity.
• They were not being persecuted like the other churches we talked about.
• They we self-satisfied.
• They were accommodated.
• All of the other churches in the area were being persecuted.
• How could it be that this one was not?
• Compromise with the world.
• Enjoying the pleasures of the world.
• The Bible says that friendship with the world puts you at odds with God.

Verse 17 – we see their attitude

• Look at us!
• They had adopted the same self-sufficient, prideful attitude as the rest of the town.
• They had all the money to do anything they wanted.
• But they didn’t have God.
• And since they didn’t have God, they didn’t have anything.
• God is the source for everything.
• It’s not money.
• He said, “You think you’re rich, but you don’t have a thing.”
• They had prominent members, beautiful facilities, and large bank accounts.
• They said, “We don’t need anything else.”
• They lost sight of what they were there for.
• Their focus was on “we.”
• Like some kind of exclusive club.
• Hosea 12:8
• As if wealth made them above the law.
• That’s the same attitude the church in Laodicea had.
• A lot of people would look at that church and call it successful.
• The Laodiceans no doubt did.
• But God measures success differently than we do.
• Not by what we have.
• But by our heart and what we are doing for him.

Verse 18

• They truly could not see themselves.
• Have you heard about the story of the Emperors new clothes?
• That’s how God saw the church in Laodicea.
• Gold
• Laodicea was rich in gold.
• But earthly gold could not compare to true riches in Christ.
• White clothes.
• Laodicea was known for its production of black wool.
• Earthly garments cannot cover up sin.
• Only the white garment of purity and righteousness that comes from Jesus can cover our sins.
• Salve for their eyes
• There was a popular ointment manufactured in Laodicea that was commonly used to cure eye infections.
• Jesus said, “If you really want to see straight, come to me.”
• All this stuff they leaned on—their own wealth and self-sufficiency—could not do a thing for them.
• They are only a shadow.
• The only things they need are found in Jesus.
• So he was giving a stern rebuke in order to turn them back around.

Verse 19

• When Jesus disciplines us, it’s not for our shame, but for our redemption.
• It’s because he loves us that he disciplines us.
• Anyone who is a parent knows this.
• He had some hard words for Laodicea, but it got there attention.

• In verse 20 he said, “Here I am.”
• I’m not turning my back on you.
• Finish verse.
• He’s not going to force his entry.
• But he will keep knocking and calling.
• “I know you’re in there!”
• “Open the door and we’ll share a meal together.”
• What Jesus wants here is true fellowship with us.
• Straight from the heart.
• He’s not found in a beautifully ornate stained-glass window inlaid with gold.
• He’s found at home—at the dinner table.
• I love having people over and just sitting around the kitchen table.
• We’ll have coffee, play games, talk and laugh.
• That’s the kind of relationship Jesus wants with us.
• Laodicea had forsaken that kind of fellowship.
• Traded it in for political correctness and comfort.

Verses 21-22

• If you sit with me now in fellowship around the dinner table, you will sit with me later on my throne in Heaven.
• One day many people are going to stand before God and say, “Look at us—look what we did for you, Lord.”
• But what will Jesus say?
• Depart from me, I never knew you.
• We didn’t have fellowship together.
• You were certainly busy.
• But when I knocked and called to you, you didn’t have time for me.
• But he who overcomes to the end and builds that intimate relationship with me…