Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 45:14–25

Listen to how the Lord spoke to Old Covenant Israel through the prophet Isaiah concerning what would happen in the days to come among the nations of the earth.

“Thus says the Lord: ‘The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: ‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.’ Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together. But Israel is saved by the Lord with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity. For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.  Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory’” (Isaiah 45:14–25, ESV).

New Testament Reading: Revelation 3:7-13

Now listen to how the Lord spoke to New Covenant Israel, that is, the church, made up of both Jew and Gentile, through John the Apostle:

“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. ‘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. 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. 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. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’’” (Revelation 3:7–13, ESV).

Sermon

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed when writing a sermon. Such was the case this past week as I wrote this one. Never have I felt overwhelmed for a lack of something meaningful to say – God’s word is always meaningful.  And rarely have I felt overwhelmed by a text because I struggled to understand it’s meaning (though I can think of a few instances) – God’s word is generally very clear, though some passages can, at first, be hard to understand. I tend feel overwhelmed with a text when it is complex. I use the word “complex”, not to refer to a text that is confusing or hard to understand, but in reference to one that has lot going on in it. Perhaps a better word would be dense, or layered? Such is the case with the letter to Philadelphia. I suppose the same thing could be said of all the letters to the seven churches, but it seems especially true of this one: the letter to Philadelphia is jam-packed with symbolism. It is filled with allusions – references – to other parts of the book of Revelation. It’s language harkens back to things that have been said in chapter one and points us forward to things that will be developed from chapter four onward. And it is also filled with allusions to the Old Testament, particularly the book of Isaiah. The effect is that, when reading the letter to Philadelphia, the reader’s mind is constantly directed this way and that. One word will take our minds back to Revelation chapter one. Another word will make us think of things that will be said later in Revelation. Another phrase will remind us of Isaiah 22, whereas another will bring to remembrance Isaiah 45, or Psalm 86. That is what I mean when I refer to the letter to Philadelphia as complex. There is a lot going on in it. If we had hours together I would not feel overwhelmed, but we only have a short time.

The letter was written to Christians living in Philadelphia. This is obviously not a reference to our Philadelphia, but to a 90 A.D. city located in Asia Minor that went by the same name. The church there was strong and faithful and true. Notice that Christ did not rebuke this church for any shortcoming. He did not say, “but I have this against you”, but urges them to continue on faithfully to the end. Of the seven churches addressed in Revelation it is only Smyrna and Philadelphia that were not rebuked. The other five were rebuked for their weaknesses. Two of those were in especially bad shape.

I should remind you of something that was emphasized two weeks ago. Christ, though he rebuked and commended his churches for a variety of things, was supremely concerned with this question: is the church fulfilling their obligation to witness? That seems to be the criterion. That seems to be the principle or stander by by which Jesus Christ judged these churches. Is the church doing what she was designed to do? Is she faithful to shine forth as a light in the darkness? That was the primary question that the Son of Man who was seen walking in the midst of the lampstand was concerned with as he inspected his churches. Are they faithful witness to me? Though the word “witness” is not used in each of the seven letters, the idea is there. Christ inspected these churches with that question in mind – are they faithful witness of mine?

When I use the word “witness” I understand that many will automatically think of evangelism – that is, the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ with our mouths. Indeed that is a kind of witness, and an important one at that. But the word “witness” means more than to preach. Certainly we witness when we speak of Jesus, but we also witness when we live in obedience to God’s word, when we faithfully worship as God has called us to worship, when we believe and teach what God has revealed, when we maintain our devotion to God and to his Christ, forsaking the things of this world, even to the point of death. These are the things that a faithful “witness” does.

Witnessing is a way of life, then. The English word “witness” comes from the Greek word μάρτυς, which refers to “a person who has been deprived of life as the result of bearing witness to his [or her] beliefs.” Perhaps “martyr” would be a more accurate English translation. Now, I am not saying that God calls all Christians to “martyrdom”, that is, to literally die for the name of Christ. Indeed, only some Christians are privileged to have that calling. But is it not true that all Christians are called to martyrdom of another kind? Are we not all called to lay down our lives, to die to self daily, and to live for Christ? Is this not how Christ calls us to follow him? He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25, ESV). For some Christians the martyrdom becomes literal and physical, but it is spiritual for all who name the name of Christ. All are called to deny self, take up his cross (die to self), and follow after Jesus.

The churches that were rebuked by Christ were rebuked because, in one way or another, they had failed to live as Christ’s witnesses. They had compromised, either in doctrine or in way of life. Their light was no longer shining in the darkness. Their lamp had grown dim. It had begun to flicker and sputter as a result of their failure to preserver it. These churches, in one way or another, had become like the world around them. They had compromised in their doctrine or in their way of life so that the distinction between Christian and non-Christian was melting away. Their light was growing dim and on the verge of becoming darkness.

The churches that were commended and not rebuked were commended, not because they were perfect in every way (there is no such thing as a perfect church), but because they were faithful to live as Christians in the world. They were uncompromising in doctrine and in life. The were unwilling to bow the knee to false god’s or to run after the pleasures of this world or to tolerate false teaching in their midst. They were true to Christ and to his name.

Such was the case with the Christians at Philadelphia. They were commended because they had (verse 8) “kept [Christ’s] word and [had] not denied [his] name” (Revelation 3:8, ESV). They had (verse 10) “kept [Christ’s] word” and were “patient [in] endurance” (Revelation 3:10, ESV). The Greek word translated “patient endurance” is ὑπομονή, which means to “continue to bear up under difficult circumstances—‘endurance, being able to endure.’” These were uncompromising, faithful, and sincere people.

But we should not take this to mean that things were easy for the Christians in Philadelphia. Clearly the church was under attack. It is not difficult to understand what the problem was there. We are told at the end of verse 8 that the Christians had “but little power,” and yet did not deny the name of Christ (Revelation 3:8, ESV). We do not know exactly what is meant by the phrase, “you have but little power.” Perhaps the Christians were small in number in that city. Perhaps they were poor. Perhaps they were outcasts socially. I would not be surprised if all of the above were true of them. What is clear is that the church in Philadelphia was weak as it pertains to worldly power, and they were vulnerable.

Specifically they were under attack from the Jewish community there in Philadelphia. This is clear from what is said in 3:9. There Christ encourages them, saying, “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” (Revelation 3:9, ESV).

Indeed, these are harsh words leveled against the Jews in that city, and they are hard to understand if we are ignorant of the historical situation. A synagogue was, and is, a place of gathering and worship for the Jews. The word simply means “assembly, or congregation.” It is not all that different from the word “church”, which also refers to an assembly or congregation. The Jews have gathered in synagogues to worship ever since the Babylonian captivity in the year 586 B.C. The Jews worshipped in synagogues because they did not have access to the temple, which had been destroyed in that. The temple was rebuilt and then destroyed again in 70 A.D. making the synagogue the central place for Jewish worship once more, even up to this present day. Our Christian concept of the church and of worship is clearly connected to the Jewish synagogue system, and not to the temple. We assemble in what we call churches to pray, sing, and read scripture, among other things. Such was the practice of the Jews in the days leading up to, during, and after the life of our Lord.

It is important to understand the tension that existed, and the divide that developed, between the Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah and all who received him as such, Jew and Gentile alike.

Many of the first Christians were Jews. Jesus was a Jewish man. The Apostles were all Jewish men. Many Jewish priests confessed Jesus as the Christ. But many more rejected the claim. It was the Jews, after all, who handed Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. Most of the Jewish religious elite denied that he was the Christ. The rift between Christian Jews and non-Christian Jews was undoubtably deep and wide. Think, for example, about the Apostle Paul’s conversion. Before he was Paul the Apostle of Christ he was Saul the persecutor of Christians. His aim was to stomp out the Christian movement, but then he was converted. After this his life was constantly threatened by his own kinsmen according to the flesh, that is to say, the non-believing Jews.

It was not at all uncommon for Jews to persecute Christians in the early days of the church. Undoubtably that is what was happening in the cities of Philadelphia and Smyrna. In both letters Jesus uses the phrase, “synagogue of Satan” to describe the non-believing Jews who were persecuting the Christians. In Revelation 2:9 we read Christ’s words to Smyrna: “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9, ESV). The phrase appears again in the letter to Philadelphia. In 3:9 where we read, “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” (Revelation 3:9, ESV).

They were called by Jesus a “synagogue of Satan” because they were, ironically, doing Satan’s work as they were opposing and persecuting the Christians. They found themselves on the wrong team. They were on the wrong side of the divide, given their decision to reject Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah.

And in both letters Jesus makes this remark: they “say that they are Jews and are not”. What does this mean? Clearly these are Jewish people ethnically speaking. Perhaps there were some Gentiles amongst them who had converted to Judaism – to the religion of Judaism. Christ’s critique of them was this: Though they may have been Jews according to the flesh, and though they claimed to be Jews, that is to say, the true children of Abraham, and the true people of God – they were not. Why? Because they had rejected the Messiah. They had rejected the Christ who had been promised to them through the Fathers from shortly after the fall. Ironically then, they were therefore Jews, but they were not Jews; they were children of Abraham, but they were not children of Abraham; and they were Israel, but they were not Israel.   

You may think that it sounds strange to speak in this way, but it is the way that the story is told from the days of Abraham onward. Indeed, Abraham had very many decedents according to the flesh, but not all shared his faith. It was possible, then, from the very beginning to be a child of Abraham according to the flesh, but not according to faith. Jacob and Esau are held up as models of this dynamic. Paul held them up in Romans 9 to illustrate this very point. Though both were decedents of Abraham only Jacob had faith so that God said of them, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Romans 9:13, ESV). So, from the beginning is was possible to be a child of Abraham – a Jew, and Israelite according to the flesh – but not a true child of Abraham, Jew, and Israelite according to the spirit.

And what distinguished between the two? If we put the doctrine of election to the side for a moment and look at the issue from the human vantage point, we would have to say that the distinguishing factor was “faith”. The true children of Abraham, the true Israelite, the true Jew, had, not only the genes of Abraham, but the faith of Abraham. And what was Abraham’s faith rooted in? It was rooted in the promises of God concerning the coming of a redeemer, a savior, the Messiah, the Christ.

Even under the Old Covenant, then, we see that a distinction was made between those who were Jews merely according the flesh and those who were true Jews according to the spirit. This is where the talk of a “remnant” comes from. There where times under the Old Covenant when, though the Jewish population was indeed very great, only a small remnant remained. These were the minority from amongst the Jewish people who had the faith of Abraham – faith in the promises of God concerning the Christ who would accomplish salvation and would, one day, usher in the new heavens and the new earth.

Faith in God – faith in his promises – faith in the promised redeemer was the thing that distinguished between Israel according to the flesh, and true Israel, even under the Old Covenant.

And the same principle is true under the New Covenant. In fact it must be confessed that, not only does the same principle hold true, but it is greatly intensified under the New Covenant, for the New Covenant is made only with those who believe. The Old Covenant differed from the New in this regard: The Old Covenant was made with all who descended from the loins of Abraham. Every child born to a Jewish father was born into the Old Covenant and was circumcised on the eighth day as a sign and seal of that reality. If they would have faith would yet to be seen. If they would grow to become a true Israelite, a true child of Abraham, would depend upon their faith or lack thereof. But all who born to Abraham were indeed members of that Old Covenant. It was a mixed covenant, then, consisting of believers and non-believers, true Israel and Israel only according to the flesh.

But a promise was made in the days of the Old Covenant concerning the arrival of a New Covenant. And this New Covenant would be different from the Old in that it would be made only with those who had faith. In other words, the issue of genealogy or ethnicity wouldn’t matter a lick in regard to being a part of this New Covenant. The Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:31–34, ESV).

This New Covenant would be made only with those who “know the Lord”. Everyone in this New Covenant would have a regenerate heart – God’s law would be written on their hearts. Under this New Covenant no longer would “each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me”, says the Lord. This is covenant would not be a mixed covenant, but a pure one.

This is why I say that the distinction between true Israel and false Israel does not pass away with the coming of Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant, but is greatly intensified. For after the coming of the Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant, those who do not have the faith of Abraham cannot even be consider as being in covenant with God as was the case under the Old.

Let us use Jacob and Esau as an example. Did Esau have faith? He did not. But was Esau an Israelite, a descendent of Abraham, under Moses, and member of the Old Covenant? Yes he was! He was not a part of true Israel, but he was a part of Israel. He was not a true child of Abraham, but he was a decedent of Abraham. He did not benefit from the Covenant of Grace that would be instituted by the Christ, but he was truly under the Old Covenant. He could, in that external and physical sense, consider himself to be one of God’s people, though he was not one of the elect (read Romans 9).

But may I ask you this? Are there any Esau’s under the New Covenant? No! For all who are under the New Covenant know God, are regenerate, having the law written on their hearts – they all have the faith of Abraham. This is the thing that matters – faith in Christ.

This is why Paul spoke as he did, saying, “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel… This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring” (Romans 9:6, 8, ESV).

In Galatians 3:7 Paul put it this way, saying,

“Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:7–9, ESV).

Under the New Covenant ethnicity doesn’t matter – your physical birth gets you nowhere. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:28–29, ESV).

When the New Covenant was ratified in Christ’s blood the promise made to Abraham that through him (though his offspring) all the nations of the earth would be blessed was fulfilled. Jesus the Christ is the savior of the world. The apostles were commissioned to make disciples of all nations. The wall of separation that had existed under the Old Covenant between Jew and Gentile had been broken down. The dietary laws that distinguished the Jew and Gentile had been removed.  On and on I could go.

All of this made it possible for Paul to write the church in Ephesus as he did, saying,

“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:11–22, ESV).

So much more could be said about this. The point that I am laboring to make is that when Jesus the Messiah came he instituted the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was no more. It was fulfilled by Christ. And this New Covenant, while certainly not disconnected from the Old, was radically different. It was particularly different in regards to the question “who is in the covenant, and on what basis.” Under the Old the answer was mainly this: Israel is in and on the basis of birth, though not all have true faith (there was a way for Gentiles to come in too). Under the New Covenant the answer is this: it is those who have faith who are in the covenant, and this is equally true for Jew and Gentile alike.

This was a radicle shift, friends. And it was this shift that makes the tension between the Jews and the Christians in the early days of the church understandable. The Jewish people were (and are) insistent in their claim that they are God’s people on the basis of their ethnicity. What was Christ’s opinion? ‘You say that you are Jews, but you are not. In fact you are the synagogue of Satan.’

It always feels wrong to use this language given what has happened to the Jews in the past. I struggle to say it, but is the language of our Lord. It is the language of scripture. We must remember that this firm language is not racially motivated. Jesus was a Jew. Most of the early Christians were Jews. This is not an attack upon the Jews as a people. And in no way is it intend to motivate hostility towards them. Such action would be completely contrary to the way of Christ.

The strong language, however, is meant to draw attention to the serious error that these Jews had made. They had missed their Messiah. Though they were Abrahams children according to the flesh they did not have the faith of Abraham, for Abraham believed in the promises of God concerning the Christ would be a blessing to the whole world – Jesus was that Christ, and they did not believe upon him. And not only did they fail to believe upon him, but they persecuted those who did.

Do you see the irony. Those who were called “the people of God” under the Old Covenant (the Jews) were now called by God “not my people” under the New given their lack of faith; and those who were called “not my people” under the Old (the Gentiles), are now called by God “my people” under the New because of the faith. The prophet Hosea prophesied concerning these things in Hosea 1, and the Apostles Paul explains these things in Romans 9.

This whole passage drips with irony.

The Jewish synagogue in Philadelphia was strong. They persecuted the Christians. They excommunicated the Jew who professed faith in Christ. The doors were slammed shut in the face of Christians. Their claim was this: “we are the true people of God, you are not”; “We are in covenant with God, you are not”; “We are in the kingdom, you are not”; “Abraham is our Father, not yours”; “David is our King, not yours”; “we are in, given our heritage, and you are out”.

Ironically, the opposite was true. Notice half way through verse 7 that Jesus Christ himself is the “holy one” – a title reserved for God alone, especially in the book of Isaiah, which is alluded to throughout this passage. Jesus Christ is “the true one” – he is the true Messiah, God’s faithful servant. Jesus is the one “who has the key of David” – he is the promised descendent of David who’s Kingdom would be everlasting – Jesus is the King, and God’s Kingdom is his. Jesus, therefore is the one “who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.” The Jews in Philadelphia had shut the Christians out, but it is Jesus who has the authority to open and to shut the doors to his kingdom. It is those who believe upon his name that have an open door before them. Look at verse 8. To the Christian church he says, “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut” (Revelation 3:8, ESV). For those who do not believe, the door is securely closed. This corresponds to the vision of Jesus in chapter 1 where Jesus is is heard saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17–18, ESV). In chapter 1 it is Christ’s authority to bind and loose in regard to death and hades that is emphasized. He in the letter to Philadelphia it is his authority open and shut in regard to the kingdom that is emphasized. There is a very important passage surrounding Isaiah 22:22 that is behind what is said here concerning the “key of David”. I so wish that we had the time to explore it, but we do not.

The message for the Christians in Philadelphia was clear. They were to continue persevering through the persecution for they were the true Israel of God by virtue of their faith in Christ. Jesus was the Christ. Though him they had an open door to the kingdom.

Notice that Christ said that he would 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” (Revelation 3:9, ESV). This is a reversal of what was promised to Israel in the Isaiah passage that was read at the beginning of the sermon. In Isaiah 45 it was promised to Israel that the day would come when the nations would come and bow before them confessing the their God was the one true God. Here in Revelation 3 the same language is used but it is promised to the church that the Jews would bow before them. The promise of Isaiah 45 was fulfilled at the first coming of Christ and continues to be fulfilled to this present day as Gentiles come to the God of the Jews through faith in Jesus who is the Messiah. The promise of Revelation 3 will is fulfilled when ever Christian live as faithful witness to God and to Christ in the presence of Jewish people, leading them to confess that indeed Jesus is Lord. It’s a marvelous reversal, isn’t it?

The promise to the Christians was that Christ, through their patent endurance,  would “keep [them] from the hour of trial [was] is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10, ESV). It is hard to know what particular trial this was in reference to. What is clear is that they would be “kept” by Christ. Many pre-tribulation, pre-millennial interpreters take this as a reference to the rapture that will, in their view, come before the great tribulation. Their thought is that Christ would never allow his people to pass through tribulation, but that he will “keep” them, that is, take them out of, the tribulation. That’s an awful lot of theology to cram into this text! And it ignores what is clearly said elsewhere! Was it not just said to the church in Smyrna, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10, ESV)? And what about Jesus’ words in John 17 (recoded by the same John who wrote the book of Revelation, mind you)? There we hear Jesus’ prayer for his disciples, saying,

“I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one… I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one” (John 17:11, 15, ESV).

It is the same word in the Greek found in both John 17 verses 11 and 15 and Revelation 3 verse10. The word “keep” does not mean “to take out of”, but rather, “to keep watch over”, or “to guard”; “to cause to continue or persevere.” This is the thing that Christ does for his people who are in tribulation – he sustains spiritually. That is what he promised to do for the faithful in Philadelphia.

And what do the saints have to look forward to?

“I am coming soon”, he said. This could be a reference to the second coming. But we should also remember that book of Revelation speaks of Jesus coming in judgment and in support of believers in other ways (2:5; 2:16; 3:3).

He exhorted them, saying, “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11, ESV). They have rewards in heaven waiting for them. They are to hold fast to them, and not trade those treasures of infinite worth for the fleeting pleasures of this world.

And to the Christians Christ said, “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it…” (Revelation 3:12, ESV). There will be no physical temple in the new heavens and the new earth. Revelation 21:22 says so. Something better will be there, for the whole earth will be the “temple of God”, “for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22, ESV). In other words, the presence of God and the glory of God will fill all. Everything will be what the Holy of Holies in the temple symbolized. What then is meant when Jesus says, “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God”. Certainly this is symbolic language. We do not expect to be made into stone, do we? The promise is that the one who remains faithful to Christ to the end will have a permeant place in the new heavens and new earth. That one will enjoy the presence of God and the glory of God always and forever.

Furthermore Christ promised to “write on him the name of [his] God, and the name of the city of [his] God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from… God out of heaven, and my own new name” (Revelation 3:12, ESV). Here everything points to the principle of possession. We belong to him and he to us. What he has earned is ours through faith in him. This is our eternal reward.

Conclusion 

The letter concludes with these familiar words: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:13, ESV). I know that you have ears, but I wonder, do you have ears that really hear? Is the word of God alive to you? Does the Spirit instruct you in it? Does it have power in your life? Does it have an effect upon you? I wonder if you have developed the discipline of meditating upon the word after you have heard it? Do you think deeply upon the word? Do you work to understand it? And after that, do you work to apply it? The word is to be applied!

It is true that these letters were addressed to churches living long ago who faced challenges that were in some ways unique to them. But friends, we must not forget that principles stated here are timeless and universal.

You are God’s chosen people. You’ve been called out of the kingdom of darkness to walk in light. You are to shine forth as lights in the darkness so that others might come to give glory to God almighty. Are you walking in the light? Is your life – your thoughts, words, and deeds – distinctly Christ like? Or are you worldly.

May the Lord purify us. May he make us able and willing to keep his will and to walk faithfuly before him, setting our eyes upon the eternal reward.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 3:7-13
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Introduction 

Brothers and sisters, I wish to tell you a story this morning. It is a familiar story. And it is the one that you would expect to hear on this Christmas Day. It is the story of our dear Savior’s birth. I will tell it following the contours of the Gospel of Luke chapter 1 verse 5 through chapter 2 verse 21. You may turn there if you wish and try to follow along, or you may simply listen.

Before we get to it, notice that I referred to Jesus as our “Savior”. I’d like for you to think about that title for a moment. “Savior” – that is what we call Jesus, for that is what he is. He is our Savior. And as you consider that impressive title I’d also ask you to recognize that a lot of information is crammed into it.

The title “Savior” indicates that Jesus has rescued us from something. Some victory has been won by him. Some reward has been earned. And the title “Savior” implies that there is a bigger story that needs to be told, one that transcends the story of Jesus’ birth. The story of his birth is indeed an important part of this bigger story, but it is not the essential part – it is not the climax. In fact, the story of Jesus’ birth – as miraculous as it is – makes little sense when considered apart from this bigger story.

And what is the bigger story that I am referring to?

The bigger story is our story – it is the history of humanity beginning with God’s creation of all things seen and unseen, of man’s fall into sin and misery, and of God’s gracious promise to one day send a Savior. This is the story that is told in the Old Testament scriptures. This is the backstory that must be understood if any sense is to be made of the nativity of Jesus.

The birth of Jesus was, in some respects, just like yours and mine. He came into this world in a most natural way. But in other respects his birth was utterly unique. His conception was supernatural. While he was in the womb of his mother miraculous signs were made to abound. Angels appeared. Word’s of prophesy were uttered. And of course, many prophesies from ages past were fulfilled in the events leading up to the birth of Christ. Jesus’ birth, while in some respects, natural, was utterly unique and, indeed, supernatural.

And friends it is so important to recognize that the bigger story that I have made reference to did not end with the birth of Jesus. More significant than his birth was his life, death, burial, and resurrection. Indeed, it was the death of Christ and his resurrection which brought everything to a climax. For it was in that event that sin was atoned for, death was defeated, and eternal life was earned. After Jesus was raised, he ascended to the Father, and from there he will return, bringing all things to a conclusion.

I am certainly happy to retell the story of Jesus’ birth on this Lord’s Day. But I am also concerned that we do not loose sight of the larger story. For we not worship a babe in a manger, but a Savior – the one who, through his life, death, burial, and resurrection, has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of light, if indeed we believe upon him. It is he that we worship. For he is the eternal Son of God who took on flesh, who lived in obedience to the will of God, who revealed the Father to us most fully, who died for sins, and who rose again on the third day securing life eternal for all who believe upon his name.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold – Luke 1:5–25

It should be noticed that Luke begins the story of Jesus’ birth, not by talking about Jesus and his parents, but about John the Baptist and his. The reason is that the Old Testament scriptures contain prophesies concerning, not only the arrival of the Christ, but also the prophet who would prepare the way for him. John the Baptist was that prophet. His birth was also marked by the miraculous. The birth of the Christ was not an isolated event. It did not happen in a corner somewhere. But it was community event. Many were involved in the narrative as it unfolded.

The story of Jesus’ birth begins “In the days of Herod, king of Judea”. According to our way of counting time this would be around the year 4 B.C. And there was a priest named Zechariah. There was nothing particularly unique or outstanding about Zechariah. He was one of hundreds of priests who would serve for two weeks a year in the temple.

The scriptures do tell us a bit about Zechariah. “He had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.” Both of them were, according to Luke 1:6, ” righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” We should not take this to mean that the two were perfect. Instead, we are to understand that they were faithful people. They possessed an authentic faith and they lived in a way that was consistent with their profession.

Not only do the scriptures reveal that they were a righteous couple, but also that they knew sorrow and suffering. We’re told that Zechariah and Elizabeth “had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.” Certainly this inability to have children brought sadness to the couple, but it would have also put them in a challenging situation socially and economically.  Barrenness was looked down upon in that society. And children were expected to care for their aging parents. Zechariah and Elizabeth were “advanced in years”. Without a doubt they worried about who would care for them in the years to come. But the two were not alone. They certainly could recall the experience of Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Rachael, Elkanah and Hannah, and how God provided for these, in some cases even in their old age.

Now the time came for Zechariah to go to the temple to serve as priest before God. And “according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.” This would have been a real privilege. Zechariah was to go into the holy place to the alter of incense which stood directly before the curtain which separated to the holy place from the holy of holy’s and he was to burn incense there, offering up prayers for himself and for the people. Picture it: the smoke from the incense would rise and it would pass over, under, and through the massive curtain, entering the most holy place. This symbolized the prayers of the people of God coming before the throne of God, being heard and enjoyed by him.

So far, everything has been typical.  But in verse ten we are told that the “whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to [Zechariah] an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.” This was anything but typical. And Zechariah responded as men do when they encounter the heavenly. “Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.” Friends, we are quite small when compared to the heavenly and the divine.

“But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:13–17, ESV).

What an incredible announcement this was! Not only would Zechariah and Elizabeth be blessed with a child in their old age, but this child would be most significant in bringing about the salvation of God’s people. The announcement was clear. This child would be the one that the scriptures spoke of. He would be the one like Elijah who would prepare the way for the coming Messiah.

Zechariah had a hard time believing it. He responded to saying,

“‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.’ And the angel answered him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time’” (Luke 1:18–20, ESV).

Zechariah lacked faith in this moment. As judgment he was told that he would be unable to speak until the child was born. I can’t help but think that there was also a blessing in this. What Zechariah needed was, not to talk, but to think. He needed to reflect upon his experience in light of the holy scriptures if he was to understand the significance of all that was about to happen with he and Elizabeth and their child.

“The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ‘Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people’” (Luke 1:21–25, ESV).

Birth of Jesus Foretold – Luke 1:26–38

It was six months later that the angel Gabriel appeared again. This time he came, not to the temple, and not to Zechariah and Elizabeth,but “to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, and to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David… The virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:26–27, ESV).

By now you should be getting the impression that heaven was intruding upon earth at this time. For four hundred years there had been no prophetic activity in Israel, but now the angel Gabriel has appeared, not once, but twice. And the news he brought was good news indeed!

He appeared to Mary and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” Mary, like Zechariah, “was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.” Gabriel spoke to her saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:28–33, ESV).

The massage that Mary received was in some ways similar to the message that Zechariah received. Both couples would have a child miraculously, and both children would be very significant in fulfilling the purposes and promises of God.

But there were some important differences. The birth of John to Zechariah and Elizabeth would be “miraculous” given that Elizabeth was barren and the two were advanced in age. But the birth of Jesus would be miraculous (truly miraculous) given that he would be born to a virgin.

More than that John would be significant in that he would prepare the way for the Christ, whereas Jesus would himself be the Christ. He would called “the Son of the Most High.” The “Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.” He would “reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Jesus would be the Christ, the Messiah, the long awaited King of Israel, the Savior, who is the Son of God come in the flesh.

Mary also had questions. But her questions were not like Zechariah’s. Her’s were honest questions, and not questions of doubt. She spoke to Gabriel saying,

“‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her, saying,  ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:34–38, ESV).

What faith this young woman exhibited! She knew that this calling would mean trouble and hardship for her and Joseph, for who would believer her story? But she was willing to bear it, for she considered herself to be a “servant of the Lord”.

Mary Visits Elizabeth – Luke 1:39–45

I’m sure that Mary felt rather alone in this journey. You and I are here to celebrate the virgin birth, but in Mary and Joseph’s day the story was doubted by many, for how could it be that a virgin have a child? But there was a place for Mary to go where she would be believed. She could go to her relative Elizabeth, for she too was a part of this story.

“Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was glorify spoken to her from the Lord’” (Luke 1:39–45, ESV).

What a comfort this must have been to young Mary! Her story, though doubted by many, was believed by the reputable Elizabeth, her encounter with the angel Gabriel was confirmed, and a blessing was pronounced upon her. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”, Elizabeth said. And “blessed [was] she [for believing] that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat – Luke 1:46–56

Mary’s response was to sing. Her response was to give glory to God and to rejoice in him. That is the very thing that you and I should do today though we are 2,000 years removed from these things. We too should sing. We should be moved to glorify God and to rejoice in the salvation that he has accomplished for us in Christ Jesus.

Listen to her song. It is recorded for us in Luke 1:46-55.

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.’ And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home” (Luke 1:46–56, ESV).

This song of Mary’s is quite beautiful, isn’t it? In it she demonstrated her humility. She confessed that what the Lord was doing in and through her was so significant that she, a lowly and humble girl of no reputation, would be remembered and called “blessed” from generation to generation. What the Lord was doing would benefit the humble and raise them up. The proud of heart would benefit nothing and would be brought low. This child that was growing inside of her was the fulfillment to the promises made to Israel in ages past through the fathers, particularly the father Abraham. This Jesus was the Christ, the offspring of Abraham who would provide salvation for Israel and for all who would believe upon his name.

Mary demonstrated a great deal of understanding. Her song shows that she was fully aware of the significance of all that was happening in and through her by the hand of God.

The Birth of John the Baptist – Luke 1:57–66

“Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, ‘No; he shall be called John.’ And they said to her, ‘None of your relatives is called by this name.’ And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, ‘What then will this child be?’ For the hand of the Lord was with him.” (Luke 1:57–66, ESV)

Zechariah’s Prophecy – Luke 1:67–80

Zechariah was compelled, not to sing, but to prophesy. Listen to his words. And see the transformation that took place within him over the past nine months. He must have pondered the scriptures in silence, for he displayed a great deal of understanding with his words. No longer is he doubting, but filled with the Spirit, and filled with faith, he said,

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days” (Luke 1:68–75, ESV).

Zechariah understood the significance of the child that was growing inside of Mary’s womb. He was the Redeemer, the Savior, the son of David, and the son of Abraham. He had come to deliver and to redeem, to make sinners holy and righteous. This was the Messiah, Jesus the Christ.

And he now understood the significance of the child that was born to he and Elizabeth. To him he said,

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:76–79, ESV).

This child was to prepare the way for the Jesus Christ. His work was to prepare men and women to meet him so that they might repent and believe. “And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel” (Luke 1:80, ESV).

The Birth of Jesus Christ – Luke 2:1–7

“In those days [in the days when John the Baptist was born] a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:1–7, ESV).

The Shepherds and the Angels – Luke 2:8–21

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:8–21, ESV).

Conclusion 

Friends, here is thing that we come to celebrate today. We celebrate the birth of Jesus who is the Christ. He is our Savior. He is our Lord. It is through him that we have peace with God, through faith in him. And he is Savior, not only of the Jews, but of all the peoples of the earth in fulminate to the promises made to the Fathers, particularly David and Abraham.

Do you believe upon him? If not, may I urge you to think about the claims that the scriptures make concerning this Jesus? May I urge you to think about what the scriptures have to say about our condition? Apart from Christ we are in sin, enemies of God. But through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the Savior of the world, we find the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. If you do not yet believe upon Christ I pray that this would be day that you open the greatest gift of all – that you would believe the good that was announced by the angels to the shepherd on that most significant night. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

For those who have faith in Christ, may we forever grow in our love for him. May we appreciate him more and more, confessing that without him we would be helplessly lost. May our love and appreciation for Christ compel us to worship and to serve more faithfully than ever before, all to the glory of God the Father who has loved us in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Luke 1:5-2:21
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Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 42:1–9

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: ‘I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them’” (Isaiah 42:1–9, ESV).

New Testament Reading: Revelation 3:1-6

“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. 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. 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. 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. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’’” (Revelation 3:1–6, ESV).

Introduction

We have now come to the fifth of seven letters written to seven churches that were alive in 90 A.D. in the region of what is today called Turkey. To two of the churches Christ had nothing negative to say. He commended them for their willingness to stand for his name and encouraged them to press on and to remain faithful to the end. The other five churches, though they might have had strengths, also had weaknesses. They were rebuked by our Lord, some more severely than others. Our objective is to learn from these letters, for they address strengths and weakness that are quite common in churches, even to this present day. These letters are for us, friends.

A few things have become very clear so far in our study of the book of Revelation:

One, the book is principally concerned to show us how things are going to go with the kingdom that Jesus the Christ has been given. It is a book about the kingdom of Christ. I cannot take the time here to repeat all that was said in previous sermons about Revelation 1 where this theme was discussed in some detail. I can only briefly remind you that the opening vision of the book of Revelation is a vision of Jesus the Christ who is the Son of Man of Daniel 7. He is portrayed as the Son of Man who, now that he has accomplished his mission to redeem his elect through his life, death, burial, and resurrection, has been given the kingdom that was promised beforehand through the prophet Daniel, and others. The message of the New Testament is that the kingdom that was for a long time promised is here now that the Christ has come. Christ is king of his kingdom now. Call it the “kingdom of God”, the “kingdom of Christ”, or the “kingdom of heaven” – any of these titles will do, for they describe the same thing. They describe the thing that Christ was given upon the completion of his earthy ministry. It was the reward for his obedience. He has been made by his Father the king of this kingdom. Those given to him by the Father are the citizens of this kingdom – he has redeemed them for himself by his shed blood. And the kingdom is advancing now. It does not yet fill the whole earth, but it will one day when the Lord returns and establishes the new heavens and new earth. The book of Revelation is a book about this kingdom that belongs to Christ. It describes how things will go with it from the time of Christ’s resurrection on to the consummation of all things when Christ returns. The scriptures refer to this period of time as the “last days”. The book of Revelation makes clear that in these last days the kingdom of Christ will advance, but not without resistance. It will be brought to a consummate state upon the return of Christ, and it will fill all the earth. You and I, if we trust in Christ, belong to a kingdom. I rush through this principle because it has already been presented to you. This is reminder and review.

The second thing that has become clear in our study of the book of Revelation is that Jesus the Christ, who is the Son of Man – the one to whom the kingdom of God has been given – is clearly administering his kingdom now through local churches. The book of Revelation is a church book, written to local churches, for the purpose of strengthening local churches.

Do you know what I mean by this? Revelation 1 makes it very clear that Christ is the son of Man who has been given a kingdom by the Ancient of Days. But very quickly everything comes to focus on the local church. When I refer to the local church I am referring to churches like ours – churches like the seven that are mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3. Local churches are visible churches. They are made up of Christians – officers and members – that is, elders, deacons, and congregants. The book of Revelation, after establishing the kingship of Jesus who is the Christ quickly sets its focus upon the local church. In other words, it is not a book written to individual Christians. Revelation is a church book. It is addressed to local churches – specifically the churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

I’m belaboring the point a bit, I know. But it is for good reason. For we live in a day where Christianity has been made to be all about the individual. Many think that we advance the kingdom of Christ when we preach the gospel and see individuals come to salvation. And I will not deny that this is indeed an essential aspect of kingdom work – the promotion and proclamation of the gospel leading to the conversion of individuals. But notice that Christ, when inspecting his kingdom, and when preparing his people for life in his kingdom, inspects them, not as individuals, but as churches. He considers individual Christians, not individually, but in the context of local congregations.

What’s the point, you ask? The point is that the advancement of Christ’s kingdom involves more than the proclamation of the gospel and the conversion of individuals. In fact the kingdom of Christ advances when local churches are established and maintained according to the word of Christ. The task of advancing the kingdom of Christ and the task of establishing and maintaining local congregations are inextricably linked – the two things cannot be separated. They are, in many respects, one and the same. To plant a church is to advance the kingdom. To refine a church is to refine the kingdom. To strengthen a church is to strengthen the kingdom. Church work is kingdom work, and kingdom work is church work. Of course all of that involves the conversion and discipleship of individuals – but our work does not end there. That’s the point I’m laboring to make.

It is this truth that is sadly neglected in our day as we make everything to be about the individual. The general Evangelical sentiment in our day seems to be this: we are doing kingdom work when we evangelize the individual, when we disciple the individual, and when we provide a wide variety of ministries specifically designed to help the individual. But these works are often done separate from, or irrespective of, the local church. There is something very incomplete about it when compared to the decidedly corporate and congregational pattern established in both the Old Testament and the New.

Do you think that Christ cares for individuals? Of course he does! But look at how he addresses his people in the book of Revelation. He addresses them as churches, and not as individuals. The same can be said for all of the other books in the New Testament. The New Testament is a church book from beginning to end. Christ is administering his kingdom through local churches.

Perhaps an illustration would help. If a portion of the US ARMY is to be inspected I would imagine that they the would come out for inspection, not as individual soldiers, but in battalions and companies, platoons and squads. The ARMY, though certainly made up of many individuals, is administered in a particular way. So too with Christ’s kingdom. When he is seen by John walking amongst the citizens of his kingdom to inspect them, he is seen walking, not amongst individuals, but individuals situated in local congregations. It is to the local church that the book of Revelation is addressed.

Revelation is a kingdom book, and it is a church book.

The third thing that is clear from our study of the book of Revelation is that Christ is concerned that his churches be healthy and whole. He is seen walking in the midst of his churches, and he is there to inspect. Where they are found to be strong he commends them and urges them to be faithful. But he rebukes them where they are weak. His desire, then, is not only to have churches, but to have churches that are healthy and whole. In fact if a church is found to be severely delinquent in doctrine or life he threatens to remove them. To Ephesus he said, “I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5, ESV). To Laodicea he said,  “I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16, ESV). Christ is concerned that his churches be healthy and whole.

But I have a question for you. Why? Why is he concerned to have churches that are healthy and whole? Is it just for the sake of being able to say, “the church is healthy”? Is that it? Or is there a purpose – an end goal – for the inspection, the encouragement, and the rebuke? Is there a purpose for the health? And if so, what is it?

When I take my car in for an inspection and tune up, I do it for a reason. It is not just so that I can say, “my car is in good shape”. I take it in for a tune up so that it might run well – so that it would carry my family to and fro safely and efficiently. There is a reason and goal motivating the inspection and tune up. We maintain things so that they might do the work they were designed to do.

When I picture the priests under the Old Covenant working in the temple, tending to the lamps on the lampstand in the holy place – trimming the wicks and refilling the oil – I envision them doing it for a purpose. They walked among the lampstand and maintained the lamps so that they would never fail to give the light that God intended for them to give. That was the purpose for the maintenance. You see, it is maintenance with a purpose.

It is the same with Christ and his churches. He, the great hight priest, inspects his churches and maintains them so that they would function as God intended them to function – so that they would do what God has called them to do.

But the question still stands: what is the purpose – the end goal – for the inspection, the encouragement, and the rebuke of the churches? What is it that God has called them to do with their health and wholeness?

The answer is that they are to do the very thing that the lampstand in holy place did. They are to shine forth as light into the darkness. This is why Christ is so concerned to have churches that are healthy and whole – so that they might shine as lights – as witnesses – to the non-believing world around them.

To put it another way, the mission of the local church is to witness.

Listen also to Acts 1:8 where Christ says to his disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, ESV). We are to function as witnesses in the world. We are to testify concerning the risen Lord through our words and deeds.

Jesus put it another way in Matthew 5:14, saying to his followers, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16, ESV).

I’m wanting you to make the connection between the vision of the Son of Man seen walking amongst the lampstand in Revelation 1 and the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3. The two things are indeed connected.

What was symbolized in chapter 1 by the vision of Jesus Christ, the great high priest walking amongst the lamps to tend to them so that they might burn bright as God intended, is actually happening in chapters 2 and 3. The word of Christ is delivered to the churches to refine them and to strengthen them – to make them healthy and whole – so that they might indeed burn bright as witnesses for Christ in the dark world in which they live.

The goal is health, not for the sake of health. But health for the sake of the accomplishment of mission.

To put it another way, though it is true that 5 of the seven churches were unhealthy in a variety of ways, Christ’s critique of each of these churches could have been the same. He could have said this, “I have this against you, you’re failing to witness. You’re falling to shine as lights in the world. You’re failing to live in a such a way that brings glory to me. Specifically, Ephesus, you have failed to love as you did at first. Pergamum, you have compromised in regard to doctrine – some have grown immoral and idolatrous. Thyatira, you have tolerated false teaching and immorality in your midst. You’ve all become like the world. You’ve compromised. Your light has become darkness. You are unhealthy, and are no longer fulfilling your purpose – you are no longer witnessing in word and deed.” A healthy church will witness in word and deed to the glory of God and for the promotion and proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sardis is interesting.

Really nothing good is said about her, except for that not all within the church had been compromised. This is what separates her from churches one and seven – Ephesus and Laodicea. Those churches were compromised, but in a thorough way.  Sardis was compromised, but in verse 3 we read, “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” (Revelation 3:4, ESV). That is the only positive thing mentioned.

Christ’s critique of the church was this: “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1, ESV). The language here is hyperbolic, or exaggerated, for we are quickly told that Sardis was not completely dead. Look at verse 2. There Christ says, “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” (Revelation 3:2, ESV). What we have, then, is a church that has grown sleepy and lethargic in the faith and was on the verge of death. They had grown apathetic. The body of Christ in Sardis had begun to atrophy. Death was at the door.

Isn’t it interesting that in the letter to Sardis we find no mention of external pressures or threats to the church. Persecution does not seem to be a major problem. Nor is there any reference to the presence of explicit false teachings. The same can be said of the letter to Laodicea, which is the seventh church. No external threat is mentioned in the letter to Laodicea, and they are described as being lukewarm. Sardis is dead. Laodicea is lukewarm. Both share this in common: they seem to be in a rather comfortable place. It is important to recognize that comfort, prosperity, and security can posse a real threat to the church. A comfortable situation can lead to complacency.

It is interesting that Sardis had a reputation for being alive, when in fact she was more dead than alive. How she came to have this reputation, we are not specifically told. Perhaps she once possessed a lively faith, but had lost it – her reputation had not caught up with the new reality of things. Or perhaps she had the appearance of life, but never really had it. This is also possible. A church can look alive on the surface – many involved, elaborate ministries, fancy facilities, etc. – but in fact be dead spiritually. We do not know how Sardis came to have this reputation. The point is that Christ knew the truth of the matter. It is his word – his opinion – that matters.

In verse 2 Christ calls the church to, “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die… (Revelation 3:2, ESV). The Greek words translated “wake up” really mean to “wake up and be vigilant, alert, and on guard.”  The church had grown sleepy. They had grown comfortable with the culture. They had failed to keep watch and had begun to compromise in regard to their devotion to Christ.

The history of the city of Sardis becomes significant at this point The city had been conquered, not once, but twice due to a lack of vigilance and complacency in the heart of it’s people. In the 6th century B.C. Cyrus, king of Persia conquered the city. Croesus, king of Lydia, thought he was safe in Sardis. He assumed that no army could ever scale the wall of the fortress. One day, a soldier dropped his helmet down the wall and went to retrieve it, climbing down and then back up again. He, in his carelessness, demonstrated that the wall could be climbed at that point. That night, the wall being left unguarded, the Persians climbed the wall and took the city. Ironically, “in the third century before Christ, Antiochus the Great of Syria sent his armies against Sardis (214 b.c.). His soldiers scaled the unguarded walls of the city and captured it in much the same way as the Persian warriors did in 546 b.c.” Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

When Christ said “wake up” or “be alert” to the church in Sardis, they would have undoubtably made the connection. They, like those in their city’s past, had grown complacent. They were too comfortable. They felt too secure. They underestimated their enemy. They were unaware of the fact that death was a the door. “Wake up”, Christ said, “and strengthen what remains and is about to die… (Revelation 3:2, ESV).

Christ said, “For I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God” (Revelation 3:3, ESV). As Christ considered the life of this church he saw that, the first generation believed upon Christ and faithfully served the Lord, but the later generation failed to advance. They failed to build upon the foundation they were given. The work in Sardis was left unfinished as the church fell into apathy and complacency.

He then urges them, saying, “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent” (Revelation 3:3, ESV). They had received a good heritage from that first generation of Christians. Now they were to “keep it”. The Greek word translated “keep” caries the idea of continuing in something. It is not “keep it”, as in burry it in the ground, but “keep it”, as in continue to build. The gospel that was entrusted to them was to be proclaimed; the word they received was to be obeyed. They were to turn from their idleness and begin to walk faithfully before the Lord once more.

Christ threatened them, saying, “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” (Revelation 3:3, ESV). This language should certainly remind us of the way that Christ spoke concerning his second coming at the end of the age. He warned his disciples, saying,

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:42–44, ESV).

The apostles also spoke in this way concerning the eschaton. Paul warned the Thessalonians, saying, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2, ESV). Peter put it this way: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:10, ESV).

Clearly, these are all references to the second coming of Christ – his final and consummate coming – the eschaton. And the book of Revelation certainly will describe this event. In Revelation 16:15 we read the words of Christ: “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed” (Revelation 16:15, ESV)!

But here in Revelation 3 we do not have a reference to the second coming of Christ. Instead, Christ uses end time, second coming, eschatological language, and applies it specifically to the church in Sardis. “If you will not wake up”, he says, “I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”

This should not surprise us. We know that Christ will come again at the end of the age to judge the world fully and finally, but he is active in judgment even now. He judges his churches because he loves them. He disciplines them as children for his glory and their good. This has been demonstrated time and again in the letters to the churches. He has threatened to remove Ephesus’ lampstand. He has threatened to war against Pergamum with the sword of his mouth. He threatened to throw Jezebel and her followers onto a sickbed. Here he warns Sardis that he will “come like a thief”. He uses the language that is elsewhere used to describe the second coming and he applies it specifically to Sardis.

His desire for them was that they would repent of their sleepy slumber; that they would wake up and be alert; that they would remember what they received at first, and continue in it, serving Christ faithfully and without compromise. He desire for them was that they would live as Christians in the world, shining as lights in the darkness as his witnesses.

His promise to them is found in verse 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” (Revelation 3:5, ESV). Their eyes were directed to the eternal reward. They had fallen in love with the world and had grown complacent. Christ set their eyes upon the eternal reward. The last thing mentioned is that Christ would confess their name before the Father and the angles. If they would confess Christ (witness) then he would confess them.

The good news is that the church has all she need to succeed in this. For it is the one who has “the seven spirits of God and the seven stars” that speaks to them. The seven spirits of God is a way of speaking of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is perfect in power. The Holy Spirit is given to all the churches. That is why the number seven is used – perfect in power and given to all the churches. Christ has the Spirit and he gives the Spirit to those who are his to empower them. And he hold the seven stars, which represent the angels of the seven churches, in his hand. This is to remind the churches of their heavenly status and position. They are not of this world. They are seated with Christ in the heaven places. We are sojourners passing through. This is not our home. Our life is hidden with Christ. Our hope is in the life to come. Christ is all that we need to live as we ought in this world. We are to look to him and trust in him.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, have you grown complacent? Our situation is quite comfortable, isn’t it? Have you been lulled to sleep? Are you naive to the fact that the enemy is at the gates? Have you lost your zeal for serving Christ?

If so, Christ is calling you to repent.

Remember the word that has been taught to you. Remember the basics of the gospel. Do not forget the foundational things of the faith, but rather remember them, keep them, and build upon them.

Live a life devoted to Christ. Obey his commands. Keep his words. Walk in his ways.

May our lives be marked by holiness. May we be Christ-like so that, indeed, we shine as lights in the darkness.

It is in this way that we will be effective witness to the grace and mercy found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Posted in Sermons Revelation 3:1-6
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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 2

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’ I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2, ESV).

New Testament Reading: Revelation 2:18–29

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 2:18–29, ESV).

Introduction

Thyatira was probably the least significant of the seven cities mentioned in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation. It was neither politically nor religiously significant, but there were powerful trade guilds in that city, which is a fact that will become important as we progress though this letter.

Though Thyatira was the least significant city, the letter to the church in Thyatira is the longest. It is letter number 4 of 7. It is therefore at the point of the chiasm that I mentioned many weeks ago. Do you remember that? The letters to the seven churches form a chiasm, meaning that there is a literary structure to the letters to the seven churches. Each of the letters relate to one another in such a way that, if diagramed, they cross or come to a point. Churches 1 and 7 correspond to each other. These churches are in the worst shape. Christ threatens to remove them as churches. He threatens to remove their lampstand or to vomit them out of his mouth. Churches 2 and 6 correspond. They are sound. To them Christ has nothing negative to say. And churches 3, 4, and 5 are similar. These churches are mixed, being strong in some respects but compromised in others. Christ commends and rebukes these churches. Notice that the letter to Thyatira is positioned at the point of this chiasm – it holds the central place.

Chiasms are used in literature in order to make a point (pun intended). The churches that are doing the worst are emphasized in the structure being given positions 1 and 7. The churches that are doing the best are minimized, being tucked away in positions 2 and 6. And the mixed churches are placed at the heart of the thing, perhaps indicating that their experience and condition is most typical. Churches tend to be mixed – strong in some respects and weak in others. Perhaps Thyatira is most typical. They dwell in a typical city and their struggle is typical.

Notice three things that pertain to this: One, this is the longest of the seven letters. Two, notice that Thyatira is explicitly held up as an example to “all the churches”. In verse 23 we are told that if those who are rebuked do not repent Christ will judge them and “all the churches will know that [Christ is] he who searches mind and heart, and… [gives] to each… according to [their] works. Three, notice that it also here in the letter to Thyatira that encounter a change in the pattern that we have grown accustom to. The first three letters were concluded with, first of all, the words, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:17a, ESV),  followed by a promise of blessing to the one who overcomes. But in the letter to Thyatira that order is reversed. Here we have the blessing followed by the exhortation, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:29, ESV). A couple of months ago one of you asked me about the reason for the change in order. I gave a decent answer then saying, “I’m not sure, but it seems to have something to do with the literary structure or for the sake of variety.” I’m convinced now that the change in order is a marker to help us see that we have come to the point of the chiasm and are now about to descend the backside of it, looking now at the churches that correspond to those already mentioned.

I hope this is interesting to you. It is to me. But the point of it all seems to be that churches 3-5 are most typical. It is unusual for a church to be on the verge of loosing it’s status as a church in the eyes of God. Most are not that far gone. Others have already gone so far that they have lost the right to be called a church by Christ. Few are in the position of being on the verge. And it is unusual for a church to be above the reproach of Christ. Certainly, there is no such thing as a pure church – we all sin – we all stumble. But it would seem that there are some churches who, when Christ the Judge inspects them, he finds nothing worthy of rebuke. They are basically whole and sound. Sound in doctrine, faithful in their witness, loving towards one another, and striving against sin. These churches are somewhat unusual. But it is typical, I think, for churches to be both strong and weak. Christ commends them for their strengths and rebukes them for their weaknesses. Thyatira was one of these.

Where Was Thyatira Strong? They Were Growing in Love.

The strength of Thyatira was found in their enduring and increasing love. In verse 19 Christ says, “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first” (Revelation 2:19, ESV). The Thyatira church knew how to love. They loved one another, and they demonstrated the love of Christ to the world. This they did through their works. They served of one another, being moved to do so by their faith in Christ. They endured in this patiently. And they were found to be increasing in it! Their “latter works exceed the first.”

Can you see that the church at Thyatira was strong where the church in Ephesus was weak? Ephesus had “abandoned the love [they] had at first” (Revelation 2:4, ESV) and were warned  to “do the works [they] did at first. If not, [Christ would] come to [them] and remove [their] lampstand from its place, unless [they] repent” (Revelation 2:5, ESV). Thyatira was strong where Ephesus was weak. They loved. And they demonstrated their love consistently by their works of service. They were even increasing in their love – their “latter works exceed the first.” May it be said of us, brothers and sisters.

But not all was well in Thyatira. They knew how to love – for that they were commended – but they were also naive; undiscerning; inappropriately tolerant. There is a time and place for tolerance. There is a good and true kind of tolerance. But the Thyatirans were tolerant in a bad way. They tolerated things within the church that should not be tolerated within the church. In verse 20 Christ spoke to them saying, “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20, ESV).This, they should not have tolerated.

The situation is similar to the one in Pergamum. There it was the teaching of the Nicolaitans and the sexually immoral and idolatrous lifestyle that flowed from it that was tolerated. Here it is the teaching of a woman called “Jezebel”. That was not really her name, mind you. Christ is again using a well know figure from the Old Testament to signify something about the churches current situation.  This woman, whatever her name was, was to the church in Thyatira a modern reincarnation (excuse the term – you know what I mean) of that woman Jezebel, who is described to us in 1 Kings chapters 16-25.

I cannot take the time to read the Old Testament account of her. To summarize, she was the Queen of Israel in Israel’s darkest days. She was the wife of Ahab and daughter of the Sidonian (Phoenician) king Ethbaal. And she was notorious for waring against the true prophets of Yahweh, and her promotion of idol worship. Israel had been compromised by wicked leadership and had been lead away from the worship of the one true God into idolatry. Jezebel had a lot to do with that.

The message that Christ was sending to the Thyatiran church was clear: that is happening in your midst. You, the Israel of God, have allowed “Jezebel” to creep in. She is spreading her teaching and leading some into immorality and idolatry. Shame on you for tolerating it! Don’t you remember what happened to Israel, how they were carried away into captivity never to return (Judah would be carried into captivity later and would return – but to Israel, the northern kingdom, no such mercy was shown). Repent before the same happens to you, church of the living God. That was his message.

So what was this woman “Jezebel”, who called herself a prophetess, teaching? We are not told, but we know the result of it. Some within the church were being led astray into sexual immorality and idolatry. Sexual immorality is the improper uses of our sexuality for anything other than the sexual union that is to be enjoyed within the confines of the marriage bond. Idolatry is the act of giving worship to someone or something other than the Triune God. Whatever “Jezebel” was teaching, this was the result.

And it is possible, I think, to reconstruct the essence of her teaching given what we are told here in this text and also given what we know about the city of Thyatira. The city was not terribly significant politically or religiously, but it was filled with powerful trade guilds. Do you remember the woman named Lidia mentioned in Acts 16 who was “from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14, ESV)? Lidia was involved in trade, as many were in Thyatira. And things worked then as they do now. Do you want to succeed in trade? Then you need to know the right people, go to the right events, and play the social game. In the Roman culture that involved going to feasts and festivals hosted by the trade guilds, worshiping the Roman gods, and conforming to the Roman culture. There is a reason why the phrase “when in Rome do as the Romans do” has staying power. It is safe to assume that, whatever “Jezebel” was teaching it had to with justifying compromise in regard to one’s devotion to Christ. She peddled some form of antinomianism (lawlessness). Perhaps she reasoned that what you do in the flesh doesn’t really matter – it is the spiritual that matters. This was a false teaching prominent in the days of the early church and it remains to this day. Who cares what you do in the flesh, so long as you are spiritual, is the thought. Away with laws. Forget the rules and regulations. Let’s just connect to Jesus spiritually, and so it goes. And so you can imaging “Christians” going to the festivals and participating in the immorality there, bowing the knee to Roman god’s and enjoying the riches of the world that their compromise had made possible. All of it was justified by the false teaching of “Jezebel”, who called herself a prophetess. Her claim was that she possessed deep and secret knowledge not available to all. But what does Christ call it? He calls it for what it is. According to him she was peddling, not the deep things of God, but “the deep things of Satan” (Revelation 2:24, ESV).

Please take note of the pattern established in these letters. The churches are attacked and assaulted in a variety of ways, but who is behind it all? Satan. In Smyrna the Christians were being persecuted by the Jewish population; Christ called them, the “synagogue of Satan”. In Pergamum the Christians were persecuted by the Romans; Christ said, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is” (Revelation 2:13, ESV). Here in Thyatira it is the teaching of “Jezebel” that threatens the church. The deep and secret mysteries that she utters are not of Christ, but are of Satan. This pattern is important to notice for we are already being exposed to the central message of the book of Revelation. The book reveals something of the cosmic and spiritual battle that rages between God, his Christ, and his people, on the one side, and the evil one, his emissaries, and people on the other. This cosmic and spiritual battle, though essentially invisible, manifests or shows itself in the happenings of human history. The dragon uses the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot to war against the God, his Christ, and his people. These three figures – the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot – will emerge as the drama unfolds in the book of Revelation. They represent persecuting political powers, false teachers, and the seduction of the world. Together they make up a kind of false trinity. And do you see that these powers, which will later be symbolized by these three figures, were already active among the seven churches to whom the book of Revelation was addressed. In other words, the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot are not figures that will arise in the future, but rather they represent powers and forces that have always been and will always be, until they are finally judged by Christ and thrown into the lake of fire along with the devil who inspires and empowers them. These churches, though they existed long ago, were already encountering local and specific manifestations of the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot. They were being persecuted by political powers – that is what the beast does. They were being threatened by false teaching – that is what the false prophet does. And they were being seduced to practice immorality – that it is what the harlot does. Do you see, then, how the letters to the seven churches correspond to the drama that will unfold later in the book of Revelation. A picture will painted from chapter 4 onward concerning how things will go for the people of God between Christ’s first and second coming – the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 were already seeing specific manifestations of it in their, day just as you and I see specific manifestations of it in our day.

And you do see specific manifestations of the activity of the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot, don’t you? You do know that persecution of Christians goes on all around the world, don’t you? You do understand that false teachings are all around us? And you do understand the seductiveness of the world, don’t you? I pray that you can see it for what it is. I pray that you are able to identify it and see it’s power to keep the hearts of men and women from God and from his Christ. I hope that you are able to recognize how it is that the Satan uses these three to war against Christ and his church. Recognize it, friends, and prepare yourselves for battle.

All three were at work in Thyatira. False teaching, seduction towards immorality and idolatry, and pressure in the political realm, especially associated with economic sanctions.

Where Was Thyatira Weak? They Were Inappropriately Tolerant.

The problem with the church in Thyatira is that they were too tolerant.  Verse 20: “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20, ESV). They were loving, yes. And that is very good. But they were naive, undiscerning, and inappropriately tolerant.

Tolerance is a buzz word today, isn’t it? Our society expects everyone to be tolerant. The word means to “show a willingness to allow the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.” There is a place for tolerance, friends, if this is what we mean by it. It is good for us not to mistreat others because they think differently that we think, and believe differently than we believe, and act differently than we act.

But notice a few things about tolerance: One, there are some behaviors that we do not tolerate even in society. It would be wrong for our society to tolerate murder, for example. Can you imagine saying to a murderer, well you just think and behave differently that I do, I suppose I must tolerate your opinion and your way. This would be absurd. All intuitively understand this (which I think is an evidence for an absolute and unchanging moral law, and the existence of a moral Law Giver, namely, God). Tolerance has it’s limitations, then. And what we tolerate differs depending upon our position and the situation we find ourselves in. Your kid might be out of control (I don’t have anyone in mind, I promise), but it is right for me to tolerate it, to a certain degree, whereas it would be wrong for you as the parent. Out in the public we might tolerate things that people think, say, and do that we would not tolerate in our home.

Here I am simply trying to make the point that tolerance, though very good when rightly applied, can also be very bad when wrongly applied. Christ’s critique of the Thyatiran church is that they were too tolerant. They had allowed certain teachings, beliefs, and behaviors to creep into the church that had no business being there.

Christians must be both wonderfully tolerant and dogmatically intolerant all at once. It is your position and the setting or situation that determines the appropriate response.

Treat your your neighbor who is a foul mouthed, fornicating, drunkard, well. You do not have authority over the man. You have no reason or grounds to attempt to hold him accountable. He needs the gospel, yes. He needs to hear God’s law and be told that he stand under God’s authority and will one day be judged by him. And this you would say to him if the Lord were to give the opportunity. But it would be inappropriate and, frankly, kind of strange, if you, as a Christian, try to, somehow, discipline or punish a man like this, expecting him to think as you think, and behave as you behave. He is in the world, living according to the way of the world. You’ll have to tolerate him.

But what if this man claimed to be a Christian? What if he were a member of your church? Should you tolerate his behavior then? No! It would wrong for you to tolerate him then. You would be in sin if you failed to rebuke him if that were the situation. The man names the name of Christ. He eats the supper with you each Lord’s Day. Here is the time for dogmatic intolerance.

Christ was calling Thyatira to do, what we call, church discipline. They were wrong to put up with “Jezebel” and her followers. They were wrong to tolerate the false teaching and the immorality in their midst. The church in Thyatira was weak where the Ephesians were strong, for the Ephesians were commended for the fact that they, “tested those who [called] themselves apostles and [were] not, and found them to be false” (Revelation 2:2, ESV). They were congratulated by Christ for the fact that they “[hated] the works of the Nicolaitans, which [Christ] also [hated]” (Revelation 2:6, ESV). It is at this point where the Thyatirans fell short.

Notice how, just like in the letter to Pergamum, Christ says to the Thyatirans, if you wont do it, I will! In verse 21 Christ says,

“I gave [Jezebel] time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:21–23, ESV).

The language is strong, isn’t it? Christ vowed to come in judgment against this “Jezebel” and her “children”, which I take as a reference to all who have followed after her. By the way, I think this is meant to contrast with the way that John refers to the church 2 John 1, referring to her as “the elect lady and her children”, but I digress. The point is that if the church would not do the discipline – stop tolerating the false doctrine and the delinquent living – Christ himself would come in judgment and, to borrow the language from the letter to Pergamum, “war against them with the sword of [his] mouth” (Revelation 2:16, ESV).

This reminds me of Paul’s warning concerning partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy or improper manner. In 1 Corinthians 11:27 he says,

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:27–32, ESV).

It is better that we judge ourselves, friends. Otherwise the Lord himself will judge us.

It is important that we never tolerate false teaching nor immorality nor idolatry within Christ’s church. Expect in the world, but never in Christ’s church. We must be willing to put it out. But we must also be careful to do so according to the way of Christ.

Something can be observed concerning the way of Christ here in Revelation 2:22. Concerning this “Jezabel” character he says, “I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:21, ESV).

Ordinarily when there is false teaching or immorality present with the church it should be confronted in such a way that time is given for repentance. Repentance and restoration is the goal of church discipline. The goal is not ultimately to punish, but to lead one to repentance. This usually takes time.

Christ himself has provided a pattern for us to follow when doing church discipline. Matthew 18:15-20 says,

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:15–20, ESV).

Notice a few things:

One, notice the motivation behind, what we call, church discipline. It is love for our brothers and sisters in Christ that compels us to do this difficult, tiresome, and sometimes discouraging work. Love.

Two, notice the goal. It is to bring the brother or sister who is in error to repentance. “If he listens to you, you have gained your brother”, the text says. Repentance is the goal, not punishment.

Three, notice the progression. There are typically four steps to the process of discipline. I say typically because situations do sometimes arise within the church that require an expedited process. I believe that 1 Corinthians 5 provides biblical warrant for this notion. The process can and should be expedited when the sin is particularly heinous, public, and threatening to the church of God. But typically there are four stages to church discipline.

Has a brother sinned against you? Then the first step is for you to go to him and tell him his fault. Don’t go to pastor first. Go to the one who has offended you. If you come to me to complain about someone else the first question I will ask you is, have you gone to them? If you been sinned against; if you have been wronged or offended by someone in the church – you have the responsibility to make it known to the offender. Don’t wait for them to come to you. Truth be told, sometime people don’t even realize that they have offended someone.

But what if they do not listen? Then you are to, secondly, bring another with you. Why? So that the “charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Do you hear the legal language here? We now have a “charge” and “witnesses”. It is important that others look in upon the matter. Maybe you are wrong. Maybe you don’t have a reason to be offended. Maybe the brother has not sinned. But if the other is wrong – if they have indeed sinned, or fallen into some pattern of sin – it is only proper that it be confirmed by multiple witnesses. More than that, it is good for the sinning brother to hear more than one voice calling them to repent.

And what if they will not listen to the two or three? Then, thirdly, the matter is to be told to the church. The orderly way to do this would involve bringing the mater before the elders who have been entrusted with the responsibility to oversee and to lead the church. They should then investigate the matter and prepare to bring it before the members of the church.

The elders must be involved – their authority cannot be circumvented – but it is important to recognize that the elders are not the church. The third step in church discipline involves bringing the matter before the church, that is, all of the members of the congregation. That is what the text says. In other words, the elders do not have the authority to take church discipline to it’s final stage on their own, independent from the congregation, in a back room somewhere. The matter is to be brought before the church. And what is the purpose behind telling the matter to the church? It is still, even in this third stage of discipline, for the purpose of calling the brother or sister to repent – to confess their sin with a broken and contrite heart, to turn from their sin, and to begin walking according to the will of God again.

And what if they will not listen to the church? The forth step (God forbid we ever have to go this far) is to “let him be to [us] as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17, ESV). In other words, we are to put the unrepentant sinner out the church and view him as a non-believer if he does not respond to this third call to repent from the body of Christ at large. Paul puts it another when he says to the Corinthians, “you are to deliver this man [this unrepentant sinner who claims to be a Christian] to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 5:5, ESV). He was in the church, identifying himself with the kingdom of God – he is to be put out of the church, and delivered over to Satan to live in his realm. And notice the end goal: it is “for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.”The hope of seeing the man come to repentance is still there even after the act of excommunication.

What Paul says 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 is also helpful in trying to understand what putting a person out of the church involves. Here he says,

“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate [to involve yourself in a somewhat intimate and reciprocal kind of relationship] with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one” (1 Corinthians 5:9–11, ESV).

I take this phrase, “not even to eat with such a one”, not so much as prohibition against sharing a meal with someone (though it may involve that), but an absolute prohibition against eating the Lord’s Supper with the unrepentant sinner. Though the verse might imply more than this, it certainly forbids us from sharing communion with the one who is found to be unrepentant.

Another way to put it is to say that the forth and final step in church discipline is excommunication. It involves putting the rebellious one out of the church, considering him to be like a Gentile and a tax collector, handing him over to Satan for the destruction of the fleshing, not associating with such a one, and not eating with them, especially the Lord’s Supper, which symbolizes our union with Christ and with one another.

This is very different than the shunning practiced by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This is not shunning. You may talk with the one who has been excommunicated. You may continue to relate to him at work, if you work with him. You might sit down for coffee with them (and even share a bagel, who knows). It may be that you are married to the one under discipline, and therefore you must fulfill your marital obligations with him or her (assuming that the matter that lead to discipling does not involve the sin of infidelity – that would obviously effect the marriage). The excommunication, you see, pertains to the church, and not the family. The end stage of discipline does not forbid any and all contact with the individual- it does not require that we shun the person. Instead it means that the way we view and relate to the individual is to change. If you enjoyed sweet Christian fellowship with the man before, that is no longer. If you meet for coffee it should not be to shoot the breeze with the man as if all was well, but to again exhort the man to return to Christ before it is too late. The question conferring the obligations of a husband or wife to a spouse who has been excommunicate is the most complex, but I do not have time to say more.

Things can get rather complex, I will admit it. But do you see the wisdom in the process? Do you see the patience? Do you see how time is given for repentance? How much time is not specified. It could be that these four stages happen within a few day or a few months. I suppose it depends upon the situation, doesn’t it? But what is clear is that one man does not have the authority to cast another out of the church on his own apart from the involvement the church at large. The process is to be followed, ordinarily. The authority to excommunicate, which is the most powerful and potent weapon of the church in regard to it’s quest for purity, resides with the local church. It does not reside with the individual Christian, not the pastor alone, not the denomination or Presbytery – Jesus says the power to excommunicate resides within the local church.

This is the thing that the church at Thyatira was failing to do. They were too tolerant. They put up with false teaching and immorality within the congregation, and Christ said, “this I have against you.”

This is has been long sermon, I know. But it is a very important one. Let me say a quick word about the way that Christ is introduced to this church and the way that the letter is concluded before making a few quick points of application.

What Is The Remedy? Jesus, The Son of God.

Christ is introduced as the “Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” This is the only time in the book of Revelation that the phrase “Son of God” appears. It is, without a doubt mean to take the readers mind to Psalm 2, which we read at the beginning of this sermon. He is said to have eyes like a “flame of fire”. He sees all. You might be able to hide your sin from others, but Christ sees all. And his gaze is likened to a consuming fire. His feet are like “like burnished bronze”. This, as I have said in past sermons, I take to be an allusion to the episode in Daniel 3 where Nebuchadnezzar has Shadrach, Mechack, and Abednego thrown into the fiery furnace, why? Because the would not commit idolatry, like some in Thyatira were. And who was seen walking in the midst of the furnace with the faithful witnesses? Nebuchadnezzar’s description of the figure was that he was “like a son of the gods”.

The saints in Thyatira were tempted by the teaching of Jezebel because they feared persecution and be cause they loved the world. The remedy to fear of persecution and love of the world is to set ones eyes upon the risen Lord, who is the Son of God, who sees all and will judge all with an all consuming fire, who is known to walk with his people through the fiery trials that they endure in this world. The remedy to fear of the world and our love affair with the things of this world is to fix ones eyes upon Jesus the Christ, who is the Son of God, who will judge the world on the last day. We are to live, therefore, being mindful of where all things are headed.

In Psalm 2 the one called the Son of God is given by God the “nations [as his] heritage, and the ends of the earth [as his]  possession. “ It is said that he will “break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” This is the authority that our Lord has now (Matthew 18:18). And what is our hope? Our hope is in him. We are to endure in him and remain faithful to him, for he promised to “the one who conquers and who keeps [his] works until the end, to him [he] will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as [he himself has] received authority from [his] Father. And [he] will give [the one who conquers] the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 2:26–29, ESV).

Application and Conclusion 

Here are few very quick points of application:

One, continue to love one another, and increase in it, as the Thyatirans did.

Two, love one another enough that you be willing to call another to repentance when they be found in sin.

Three, understand that while tolerance is appropriate in some settings and situation, there is such thing as bad tolerance. Do not be surprised when this church refuses to tolerate unrepentant false teaching and immorality within our midst.

Four, understand why a well defined, thoughtful, and biblical membership process is essential of the establishment and maintenance of a healthy church. There must be a way for us to know who is with us, and who is not. Otherwise the things we have discussed this morning would be impossible to implement properly and consistently.

Five, understand how important the proper observance of the Lord’s Supper is in all of this. Everything eventually comes to focus on the Supper in church discipline. It is the eating of the Supper which signifies our union with Christ and our union with one another. Non-Believers are not permitted to the table, nor are those who have professed Christ but have been found living in unrepentant sin, being unwilling to listen even to the voice of the Church calling them to repentance. They are to be excommunicated – barred from the sacred meal, which symbolizes their being severed from Christ and from the church.

Six, flee from all forms of sexual immorality and idolatry. They will lead to your destruction.

Seven, do not put up with false doctrine, knowing that doctrine – what is taught in the church, and what we come to believe – will certainly lead to a particular way of life. Doctrine and life are tightly linked.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 2:18–29
Comments Off on Sermon: Thyatira – Growing in Love, But Inappropriately Tolerant: Revelation 2:18–29 Posted by Joe

Pre-Introduction

You’ll need to stick with me this morning. The sermon will not be longer than usual, but we are going to take the scenic route to get where are we are going.

There is a very intriguing (and important) story told in chapters 22 through 24 of the book of Numbers. The story is too long to read here, but I’d like to summarize it before reading a brief passage from Numbers 25.  The reason is that it is hard to understand our sermon text for today (which is the letter to the church in Pergamum found in Revelation 2:12-17) without first knowing something about this story found in Numbers.

The book of Numbers, among other things, tells the story of Israel’s forty year period of wilderness wandering. The people of Israel had been rescued from Egypt – the book of Exodus tells us all about that. Laws were given to them at Sinai – the book of Leviticus is concerned mainly with that. And the book of Numbers begins by telling of Israel’s preparations for leaving Mt. Sinai to move towards the Promised Land. It records for us of the failures of Israel in the wilderness, including their refusal to take possession of the Promised Land under Moses’ leadership. The book then concludes with Israel forty years later again on the boarder of the Promised Land, this time being lead by a new generation of leaders with Joshua at the head. The conquest would soon follow.

What is made clear in the book of Numbers is that the people of God under the Old Covenant were constantly assaulted both from without and from within as they sojourned in that desert place.

Does that theme sound familiar to you? It should! The book of Revelation tells the same story but in a different way, using a different genre. And in Revelation is not Israel, but the church, that is being assaulted from without and within. the books are very different, but it is important to see the commonality that exists between the two books.

Remember that in the days that the book of Numbers describes the people of God had just been redeemed from bondage in Egypt, they had their sights set on the Promised Land, but they had not yet laid ahold of it. It was as good as theirs – it had been promised to them by the God who had accomplished their redemption – but the full and actual attainment of that Promised Land was future to them. They were sojourners wandering in the wilderness and without a home.

I hope that you can see how Israel’s earthly and physical experience of redemption followed by sojourning and their eventual attainment of the Promised Land function as a type – a foreshadowing, or earthly picture – of the spiritual experience that the people of God have through faith in Jesus the Christ.

The New Testament makes much of this connection. It makes explicit the connection between the redemption of Israel from Egypt under Moses and our redemption from the dominion of sin, Satan, and death under Jesus the Christ, who is the one greater than Moses.

The New Testament also makes explicit the connection between Israel’s attainment of the Promised Land under the conquest of Joshua and our attainment of the true, perfect, and eternal “Promised Land” (the new heavens and new earth) under Jesus the Christ, who is the greater Joshua.

So do you see how the historical events experienced by Israel long ago – though they were real and significant events in their own right, and though God was indeed at work amongst his people then – also functioned typologically. They were real events (not just stories with metaphorical meaning). But they were events that managed to also point forward to greater things yet to come. God used Moses to save his people from Egypt – but through Christ he would save his people from sin, Satan, and death itself. Also, God used Joshua to lead his people into the Promised Land – but through Jesus the Christ the people of God will be brought safely into the eternal kingdom, the new heavens and new earth, the archetypal, quintessential, land of promise.

This is how we are to read the Old Testament, friends. Real history, yes! But also redemptive history. It is “redemptive” in that real acts of redemption were accomplished by God then, but in such a way that those acts also pointed forward to greater acts of redemption yet to come. This is why Jesus could speak to those men that he met on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection showing them how everything written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms found their fulfillment in him.

I’ve already mentioned how Israel’s deliverance from Egypt mirrors our deliverance from the dominion of sin, Satan, and death. And I’ve already highlighted how Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land under Joshua corresponds to the greater victory that Jesus has won for us, securing our entrance into that quintessential land of promise – the new heavens and the new earth. But understand that the wilderness wanderings of Israel also correspond to something. That forty year period of desert wandering – that time of sojourning, where the people of Israel were fed with hidden manna and drank water from the rock – corresponds to the age in which we now live. Their experience mirrors ours. Our redemption has been accomplished by Christ, we look forward to the land of promise, but we are not there yet. We, like Israel in the wilderness, are sojourners.

And “I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.’ We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10:1–11, ESV)

The history of Israel in the wilderness – though real and significant in and of itself – was recorded as an example for you and me and for all “on whom the end of the ages has come”, for our sojourning corresponds to theirs. Theirs was prototypical. Ours is archetypical.

I speak of these relatively complex things because I know that some of you are interested in them. I also believe that there is something substantial here to be considered. Understanding the relationship between what happened under the Old Covenant and what is happening under the New is important. I encourage you to ponder these things further. But perhaps a simpler way to put all of this would be to say that the Old Testament rocks! The stories contained there are awesome! And they are useful to the people of God today. They certainly apply to us.

In Numbers 22 we come to an especially intriguing story. Israel was on the move in the wilderness. They had grown strong and they had began to conquer kings and kingdoms. As they approached the plains of Moab, the people of Moab began to tremble, for they had heard of what Israel had done to the Amorites. Balak, the king of Moab, came out to see the encampment of Israel, and when it he saw it, he trembled. The people of God we many in number and they were strong. Balak knew that he could not stand before them in battle and so he began to conspire to defeat Israel by other means.

He called upon Balaam the son of Beor, who was a highly regarded prophet (from our perspective he was a false prophet), and he asked him to come and to curse Israel. He promised him great treasures should he come out to curse the encampment of Israel. He spoke to Balaam, saying, “Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (Numbers 22:6, ESV). By the way, we should be reminded here of the promise that God spoke to Abram long before this time, saying,

“Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1–3, ESV).

Balak the king of Moab was dead wrong. He thought that Balaam had the power to bless and to curse the nation. In fact, only God has that authority. That night the Lord God appeared to the false prophet, Balaam, in a dream, saying , “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (Numbers 22:12, ESV).

This got Balaam’s attention. At first he refused to go, saying, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you” (Numbers 22:13, ESV), but Balak persisted, sending more honorable men to him and bribing him with more money until Balaam agreed to go.

The story that follows is fascinating. The short of it is that, though Balaam set out to curse Israel, being motivated by the promise of fame and fortune, the Lord restrained him all along the way. Balaam was restrained from cursing Israel and instead he was moved to bless Israel three times over.

Ironically the three oracles uttered by Balaam contain some of the most beautiful prophesies in all of scripture concerning the coming of the Christ. God used this godless man – this false prophet who was bent on speaking evil for personal gain – to pronounce blessings upon the people he had blessed (Israel), and to curse those whom he had cursed (Moab). Incredible.  

By the way, do you remember the story of Balaam’s donkey speaking to him along the way as the Angel of the Lord appeared to hinder Balaam’s purposes? What do you think the point of that story is? Is it not that God has the power to make his creatures say what he wants them to say? It was true of Balaam’s donkey, and it was also true of Balaam himself. Both were used as God’s mouthpiece, as unlikely as it was.

While it is true that Balaam ended up pronouncing three blessing upon Israel, and though it is true that he was used by God to prophesy concerning the blessed future of Israel and the eventual arrival of the Christ, it would be wrong to assume that Balaam’s heart was turned to the Lord. He was still “a donkey of a man”. He was still a false prophet – a godless heathen man – and no friend of Israel.

This becomes exceedingly clear when we read in Numbers 31:16. There we learn that, though Balaam was restrained from cursing Israel, pronouncing blessings instead, he did advice Balak the king of Moab concerning how to do harm to Israel. And what was his advice? How could Moab defeat Israel if not through direct warfare? How could Moab win the victory over Israel if not by the sword?

Balaam was as cunning as a serpent. He advised Balak the king of Moab to take a different approach. He advised him to send attractive Moabite women into the midst of Israel’s camp to tempt the men to commit sexual immorality in order to draw them away from the worship of the one true God and into idolatry – the worship of the gods of Moab.

It worked.

Let us give ourselves now to the reading of God’s holy word.

Old Testament Reading: Numbers 25:1-5

“While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These [the daughters of Moab] invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people [of Israel] ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.’ And Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor’” (Numbers 25:1–5, ESV).

New Testament Reading: Revelation 2:12-17

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it’” (Revelation 2:12–17, ESV).

Introduction

I know that I have been up in the clouds this morning, painting with large brush strokes, taking a very long time to introduce the sermon text for today by talking mainly about other passages. I pray that you can see why I have done so. And I pray that we would have the wisdom to understand and apply the letter to Pergamum found here in Revelation 2.

Notice that Christ again spoke the church saying “I know”. This is true of each of the seven letters. Christ knows. He is not ignorant concerning the condition and situation of his churches. He walks in the midst of us to inspect. He sees all. He knows all. Nothing is hidden from his sight.

To Pergamum he said, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.” Evidently Pergamum was a difficult place to be a Christian. Satan’s throne was there. This, of course, is not to be taken literally. It is symbolic language which communicates that Christians in that place were living in extremely hostile territory.

Let me tell you a few things about the city Pergamum. It was, to quote Beale,

“a center of Roman government and pagan religion in the Asia Minor. It was the first city in Asia Minor to build a temple to a Roman ruler (Augustus) and the capital of the whole area for the cult of the emperor. The city proudly referred to itself as the ‘temple warden’ (νεωκόρος) of a temple dedicated to Caesar worship. Life in such a politico-religious center put all the more pressure on the church to pay public homage to Caesar as a deity, refusal of which meant high treason to the state. Furthermore, Pergamum was also a center of pagan cults of various deities. For example, the cult of Asclepius, the serpent god of healing, was prominent in Pergamum; the serpent symbol of Asclepius also became one of the emblems of the city and may have facilitated John’s reference to ‘the throne of Satan’(cf. 12:9; 20:2!). Zeus, Athene, Demeter, and Dionysus were also gods receiving significant cultic attention. The reference to ‘Satan’s throne’ may also have been brought to mind because of the conical hill behind Pergamum which was the site of many temples, prominent among which was the throne-like altar of Zeus, which itself would have been sufficient to arouse the thought of the devil’s throne. [Revelation]13:2 says that Satan gave the ‘beast’ ‘his throne and great authority’ (cf. 16:10); thus Satan works through the ungodly, earthly political power in Pergamum to persecute God’s people…”

The church in Pergamum was certainly living in a very hostile environment. The evil was active and powerful there.

Notice that Pergamum is first of all commended. They stood strong in the face of persecution, even to the point of death. Again, persecution was not widespread and continuous at this time, but would flare up from time to time. Christ commends Pergamum for their faithfulness in the face of persecution. He specifically mentions their faithfulness in the “days of Antipas.”  He said,  “yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” We know nothing of Antipas except that he was killed for the faith. The church stood with him and would not deny the faith either. They held fast to the name of Christ.

But all was not well at Pergamum. Though they were strong to withstand the threat of the sword, they were internally compromised. Sounds to me a lot like Israel as they encamped on the plains of Moab. Strong to stand against the sword, but compromised internally.

Christ rebuked them in verse 14, saying, “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

Some say that there were two groups threatening the church in Pergamum: the Balaam like group and the Nicolaitans. But it is better, I think, to see that there was one group threatening their integrity, that is, the Nicolaitans. These Nicolaitans were teaching something similar to that which Balaam taught to Balak as recorded in the book of Numbers. The Nicolaitans were, in one way or another, encouraging the Christians in Pergamum to compromise in regard to to sexual immorality and idolatry. The words “so also” at the beginning of verse 15 should be understood in this way, I think.

It’s as if Christ said to the Christians in Pergamum, do you remember that false prophet Balaam? Do you remember how he was restrained from cursing Israel directly as they encamped on the plains of Moab? And do you remember how Israel was strong to stand against the sword of Moab and how Balak was powerless against him? But don’t forget how Balak brought Israel low by another means. He followed Balaam’s advice to seduce God’s people to commit sexual immorality and idolatry. That is what the Nicolaitans are doing to you! Tolerate them no longer. 

It is not hard to imagine what the Nicolatians were teaching. I’m sure that they, seeing all of the trouble that their Christians friends were facing because they would not bow to Caesar, nor offer a pinch of incense on the alter, nor participate in the festivals at the pagan temples, began to reason thus: Just bend the knee. Just offer up the incense. Just go the festival and play along. It will be easier for you. You’ll advance in this society. Your reputation will improve with the trade guilds. You’ll grow prosperous. Certainly the persecution will cease if you just go with the flow! What harm is there in these things. After you’re saved by grace through faith in Christ! Go ahead. Bend knee. Run with the crowd. Go along with the culture. Be quite about the faith, and be done with all of this trouble you are now experiencing. It will be easier for you to go this way. 

Some, but not all, within the church held to this teaching, but the church at large was called to repent. What were they to do? They were to confront those who held to the teaching and, through the process of church discipline, put them out of the church. They were do what the Ephesian church was doing well. The Ephesians, remember, “[could not] bear with those who [were] evil, but… tested those who [called] themselves apostles and [were] not, and found them to be false” (Revelation 2:2, ESV). Also the Ephesians were commended for “[hating] the works of the Nicolaitans, which [Christ] also [hated]” (Revelation 2:6, ESV).

The church at Pergamum was to repent. If not, Christ threatened to “come to [them] soon and war against them with the sword of [his] mouth” (Revelation 2:16, ESV). Notice how Christ is introduced to this church. Verse 12 says,  “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword” (Revelation 2:12, ESV), this image being drawn from the description of the “one like a son of man” who walks in the midst of the lampstands in 1:16.

Christ will judge the world at the end of time with the sword of his mouth. But do you see that he comes in judgement even now? Christ will war against those who are false within the church. This also coincides with the Israel’s experience on the plains of Moab, doesn’t it? When Israel refused to repent, and when the leadership of Israel failed to purge the evil from the midst of them, the Lord himself warred against the people sending a plague that consumed 24,000. It was the zeal of  “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, [that] turned back [God’s] wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with [God’s] jealousy among them, so that [God] did not consume the people of Israel in [his] jealousy” (Numbers 25:10–11, ESV).

Our God is a jealous God, friends. He is jealous with a perfect, holy, and righteous kind of jealousy. There is a kind of jealously that is sinful. It is sinful to be jealous for the wrong things. It is sinful to be jealous in the wrong way, or to be driven by jealously to do wrong. But there is a kind of jealously that is right. I am jealous for my wife, for example. And it is right that I am! She belongs to me, and I belong to her. We are bound together in a covenant bond. It is right for me to be jealous for her. It would be wrong for me not to, for she is mine and I am hers.

And don’t you see that we are in covenant with God? Under the Old Covenant Israel was God’s chosen people. Under the New it is all who have faith in Christ from amongst the Jews and gentiles. We, the church, are the bride, he the bridegroom. And he is jealous for us with a holy jealousy.

This is why it is such a heinous thing for us to give our worship to other things, to set up idols in the heart and to bow before them. “Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:23–24, ESV).

Some in Pergamum had compromised in this regard. They had believed the lie that they could pledge their allegiance to Christ and to the world. They believed the lie of the Nicolaitan’s that they could practice sexual immorality and bow before idols and still follow Christ. The truth is that if we are Christ’s we are to be his exclusively.

Not only does Christ threaten those who are unfaithful, but also promises rewards to those who overcome. “To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17, ESV).

The mention of manna should again take our minds back Israel’s wilderness wanderings. They were to sojourn ever trusting in God to provide their daily bread. So are we. God will provide all that we need. There is no need to compromise by selling out to the world.

White stones were used in ancient times for a number of purposes, often to grant entrance into some event. To be given a white stone by Christ suggests the right to enter into heaven. But notice that this white stone has a “new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” This speaks to the fact that Christ knows us intimately and by name.  We enjoy a covenantal relationship with him. And it is a new name. Christ transforms us. He gives us a new life in him, and a new name. Abram became Abraham; Sarai was named Sarah; Saul became Paul; Cepheus became Peter. Why? Because God had called them to himself, had renewed them, and was now using them for his purposes. This is true of all who belong to Christ.

Conclusion 

Friend, does your heart belong solely to Christ, or are you compromised? Do you worship him alone, or have you given your love to many lovers, bending the knee to idols?

Let us be aware of the schemes of the evil one, seeing that if he cannot get us one way he will try another. Let us be particularly mindful of the seduction of Balaam who seeks to draw our hearts away from the living God by way of sexual immorality.

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?” (Hebrews 3:12–18, ESV)

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

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 2:12-17
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Old Testament Reading: Daniel 1

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, ‘I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.’ Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ‘Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.’ So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus” (Daniel 1, ESV).

New Testament Reading: Revelation 2:8-11

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death’” (Revelation 2:8–11, ESV).

Introduction

Here we come to the second of seven letters in the book of Revelation written to seven churches located in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) in A.D. 90. Each letter is from Jesus the Christ. Each letter is addressed “to the angel” of the particular local church. I take this to be a reference to an angelic being who is responsible to serve that particular church – local churches have heavenly support, that is the point, I think. And each letter addresses challenges being experienced in these local churches. Each church is challenged in some way. These were real local churches, made up of real people – members and officers, who were experiencing real challenges. But we should remember that the challenges faced by these churches were not unique to them, but are common to all churches living at all times and in all places. These seven churches, therefore, represent all churches (numbers have symbolic force in Revelation). This is why each letter concludes with these words, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:11, ESV). “Churches” is plural. The letter to Smyna, therefore, applied, not only to them, but is to be considered by all churches, including ours. My prayer for us is that we would have “ears to hear” – that we would consider carefully the words of Christ to see if we are a healthy church deserving of commendation, or an unhealthy one deserving rebuke.

First, a few words about Smyrna.

Smyrna was a city located about 50 miles to north of Ephesus. There was a strong Jewish population in that city. And the city was especially proud of their allegiance to Rome.

It should be noticed that the troubles threatening the church in Smyrna were very different from the troubles threatening Ephesus, located only 50 miles to the south. While Ephesus was threatened by false teachers from without and within, and having lost their love for one another, the saints in Smyrna were a persecuted, poor, and slandered group. One thing made clear by the letters to the seven churches is that the assaults that come against the church of Christ are varied. Some assume that the only (or perhaps the main) threat to the church of Christ is persecution. Americans seem particularly fearful of persecution, perhaps because it is so foreign to us. People tend to fear the unknown and the unfamiliar. But we should remember that persecution is not the only thing that threatens Christ’s church. There are other things that threaten. Our enemy is cunning.

In Smyrna the threat was indeed persecution. Some of them would indeed be put to death for their faith. But it should be remembered that Smyrna is one of two churches of which Jesus has nothing negative to say. Never does Jesus utter the words, “but I have this against you…” to Smyrna. Persecution can indeed have a devastating effect upon the church. It is a not entirely right to say that persecution always makes the church stronger. But often times it does. Persecution often has a purifying effect upon the bride of Christ.

What can we learn from Smyrna? That is the question before us this morning.

A Healthy Church Will Remain Faithful Even In The Face Of Persecution

One thing is clear: we learn that a healthy church is one that will remain faithful even in the face of persecution.

And notice that persecution – mistreatment from others – takes a variety of forms. Here we have mention of  physical persecution, even unto death. The Christians in Smyrna were indeed facing this kind of persecution – physical persecution even to the point of death.

It is in verse 9 that Jesus the Christ speaks to them saying, “I know your tribulation…” (Revelation 2:9, ESV). Remember that Jesus says, “I know” to each of the seven churches. “I know”, he says. “I am not unaware”. “These troubles of yours are not hidden from my sight”. What a comfort this is! When we face trouble in this life we inevitably ask the question, where is God in relation to this trouble I am facing? Is he far off? Is he unaware? Am I too small and insignificant for him to take notice of my trouble? Christ puts this ridiculous thought to rest, saying to each of the churches, “I know…”

He is not unaware of your trouble, and he was not unaware of the trouble that the Christians in Smyrna were facing. He knew of their tribulation, and he spoke to them, saying, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10, ESV). At the end of verse 11 he adds, “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:11, ESV).

It should be recognized that persecution in the early days of the church was rarely widespread and ongoing, but would flair up from time to time in certain places and, by the grace of God, would die down. Here Christ warns the Christians in Smyrna that they are about suffer an intense onslaught of persecution that would last but a short time. “Do not fear what you are about to suffer”, he says.

And who is the one motivating the persecution? Christ says, it is “the devil”! “The devil is about to throw some of you into prison”, he says. Of course it would be the Romans who would actually throw them into prison – that is what the Christians would see. Roman soldiers would lock them up. And the Romans would do so being encouraged by the Jews in that city – that is also what they would see. But it is the devil, or Satan, who motives it all – this they are to see with eyes of faith. Remember, things are not always as they appear. There is a spiritual realm that lies behind this world that we see. There is a battle that rages there – one that motivates and inspires the events that transpire in human history. The book of Revelation was written to, in part, reveal the realities of that word to us, though we cannot see it with our natural eyes.

The devil, or Satan, will appear again in the book of Revelation. Later he will be symbolized by a great dragon. He is portrayed as the archrival of God and of the people of God. It is the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who labors to thwart the purposes of God. He is the one who motivates and empowers all that opposes Christ and his church. The beast, the false prophet, and the harlot are empowered by him. The beast symbolizes political powers that oppress. The false prophet stands for all who teach false doctrines and utter lies. The harlot stands for all of the worldly things that seduce the people of God. Together they form a false trinity. And the three are used by Satan himself to war against Christ and his church.

Friends, we are only to the second of seven letters to seven churches who were alive in A.D. 90. And we have already been shown concrete examples of the the activity of these three. Ephesus was hard pressed by the false prophet. False teaching threatened them from without and within. Ephesus was also tested by the harlot through the teaching of the Nicolaitans who tempted the saints to compromise in regard to sexual immorality and idolatry. And it is here in Smyrna that we see the handiwork of the beast. The saints are persecuted – imprisoned and even put to death – at the hands of an oppressive government. But who is behind it all? The dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan is the one behind these three. This is why Christ speaks in this way, saying, “the devil is about to throw some of you into prison.”

And why was this allowed to happen? Why did Christ permit it? We cannot say that he was caught off guard, for he knows! And we cannot say that he was lacking in power to stop it, for “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to” him (Matthew 28:18). He is the son of man with all dominion and authority having been given to him by the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7). The evil one is not outside of his authority. The serpent was defeated at Christ’s first coming. He is indeed a strongman, but he is bound by Christ – restrained and restricted – under is his sovereign power. The fact that this persecution endured by the Christians in Smyrna was limited to “10 days” testifies to the reality that Christ rules and reigns even now over the evil one. Satan is a vicious advisory, but he is a chained and restrained advisory. The strong arm of Christ holds him at back from having his was amongst the nations. He is active but bound.

We must admit, then, that Christ permits our suffering. But why? The scriptures do not reveal all to us, but Christ does reveal to Smyrna that this suffering would come upon them so that “[they] may be tested” (Revelation 2:10, ESV). The persecution was permitted so that, among other things, the saints be tested. Testing refines our faith. Testing strengthens our faith. The Lord has promised that he will “not let [us] be tempted beyond [our] ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that [we] may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV). But he does allow us to be tested, this being for his glory and our good.

Peter had a lot to say about suffering in his letters. So much for the silly idea that God’s will for our lives is that we be healthy and wealthy. I can’t think of a doctrine more out of step with the tone an tenor of the Old and New Testaments. Listen to 1 Peter 1:3-9:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3–9, ESV)

Persecution is permitted so that our faith be tested – strengthened and refined to the praise and glory of God.

Notice that Christ promises that the evil one would be restrained and that the tribulation would be only for a limited time. In the middle of verse 10 Christ says, “For ten days you will have tribulation”.

Should ten days be taken literally? I think not. Remember that this book is filled with symbols. The numbers in this book tend to have symbolic force. There is no historical evidence to support the idea that the saints in Smyrna endured only a “ten day” period of persecution. Instead it is wise to ask, what does the number 10 symbolize, or what does it have reference to.

The number 10 can be understood as a number of completion. How many commandments are there? There are 10 commandments which summarize completely God’s moral law. We will encounter multiples of 10, or other significant numbers multiplied by 10, throughout Revelation. The number 1,000 is significant in Revelation 20, for example. By the way, a careful student of the Bible would be wise to compare the content of Revelation 20 with the letter to the church in Smyrna. We do not have the time, but there are many parallels having to do with martyrdom, the first and second death, and the enjoyment of life with Christ after death – we will come to that passage in the months to come. For now know that I take “10 days” to symbolize a complete, limited, and brief period of time. When we come to Revelation 20 I will make a case for understanding “1,000 years” to symbolize a complete, limited, but very long period of time.

It is also important to notice the connection between the “10 days” of Revelation 2 and the “10 days” of Daniel 1, which we read at the beginning of this sermon. In Daniel 1 we are told of the 10 day period of testing that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah endures while in captivity in Babylon. It too was a period of testing. And, as we will see, the temptation that they endured was similar to the temptation that the church in Smyrna would have to endure. In both situations the temptation was to given in – to compromise – and to defile oneself with worldly things, by pledging allegiance to worldly powers. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah stood strong and the Lord provided for them. Christ is reminding the Christians in Smyrna of this by using the words “10 days” to describe the period of tribulation that was to come upon them.

The point for now is that Christ warned the Christians in Smyrna that they would soon experience a period of tribulation. It would be brief. Christ would would limit it. Some of them would be put to death.

Why would this be? It is imprint to understand something about the historical situation.

In the earliest days of the church Christians enjoyed a good deal of freedom. They were viewed by Rome as a sect of Judaism, which was a state approved religion. The Jews enjoyed certain freedoms, and the Christians were, at first, considered to be one with them. This changed over time. Christians would eventually loose the approval of the state and would be considered a threat to Roman rule and to the stability of society. They, after all, confessed Jesus as Lord, not Caesar. And they would not participate in the worship of the Roman gods.

Something else also changed. Over time the Roman Emperors began to insist upon being worshiped. Nero, who reigned from 54-68 A.D., tended in this direction. But it was Domitian, who reigned from 81-96 A.D., who insisted upon being worshiped. Once a year citizens were to offer up a pinch of incense upon the alter and to say “Caesar  is Lord”. Faithful Christians refused. Thousands were killed under Domitian’s reign. The charge was often atheism. It sounds strange to our modern ears to hear Christians charged with being atheists, but you must put yourself in ancient Rome. Christians denied the Roman gods and they refused to worship the Emperor, confessing only Jesus as Lord. This was atheism from the Roman point of view. It was a denial of the gods, and it was treasonous to the Empire. Thousands of Christians were killed under Domitian.

This is how the persecution would usually play out: The Romans rarely went “hunting” for Christians. Instead Christians in a city or town would fall into disfavor with a person or a group of people. Those people would then accuse the Christians of atheism or treason and insist that they be put to the test. Perhaps the accusations were politically motivated. Perhaps they were religiously motivated. Perhaps a person would simply grow envious and, therefore, seek the harm of his advisory. The Roman government would be used as a persecuting force. The Christian would be asked to say “Caesar is Lord” and to offer up the incense. Punishment would follow if they refused – sometimes death.

In Smyrna it was the Jews who were motivating the persecution against the Christians. It’s not hard to understand the tension between the two groups. The Christians believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the long awaited King of the Jews. The non-believing Jews considered this to be blasphemy. And the Jews certainly had the upper hand in this. Judaism was a recognized and state approved religion. Christianity was not. The Christians were very vulnerable. The Jews knew that the  Christians would not bow to Rome and they used this against them, bringing them to the attention of the authorities.

The language is very strong against the Jews in this passage, and we must be careful with it. Never should Christians encourage or condone violence against any religion or group of people. That way is completely contrary to the way of Christ. Indeed it must be admitted that terrible things have been done in the past in the name of Christ. Christians should denounce these acts with all that is in them. The Kingdom of Christ does not advance by the sword, but by the word and Spirit. This fundamental fact has been sadly overlooked by many in the history of the church. Never should the strong language in this passage be used to justify acts of violence. But neither should the language be ignored.

The unbelieving Jews – notice that this has nothing to do with race, but with beliefs and behavior – are called “a synagogue of Satan”. The word synagogue means “assembly or congregation”. We use the word “church” to refer to our gathering together. The Jews gathered in synagogues. And, ironically, they are called the “synagogue of Satan”. It is ironic because under the Old Covenant the Jewish people were set apart as God’s people, but here they are found serving Satan. How could this be? It came to be when these Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah and, in fact, began to persecute the people of God, namely, the church – that is, all who had believed upon Christ, both Jew and Gentile. Once again, this has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with belief and behavior. The Jews in Smyrna were showing themselves to be a “synagogue of Satan” through their rejection of God’s Messiah and through their persecution of God’s people. They were shown to be on the wrong side of things.

Ethnicity does not matter under the New Covenant. Physical birth means nothing. What matters is faith followed by obedience. In pride the Jews say, “we are the people of God given our heritage.” The New Testament has a different opinion. Paul puts it most succinctly, saying, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:28–29, ESV). This is why the New Testament constantly uses Old Testament language that was once reserved for Israel and applies it to the church, which is made of of Jew and gentile. The church is the Israel of God (see Galatians 6:16). We have already seen an example of this in Revelation! It is the Jewish Menorah – the sacredlamp stand burned bright in the Jewish temple for centuries – that is used to symbolize the Christian church, made up of Jews and gentiles.

It is not surprising to me that the Jewish people, still to this day, think themselves to be the “people of God” on the basis of their ethnicity. For them the Old Testament scriptures are authoritative, not the New. For them, nothing changed when Jesus of Nazareth died, for in their view he was a common man and nothing more. They are still waiting for the Messiah. What is surprising to me is that many Christians still have this opinion of them, thinking that they, the Jews, are God’s people by virtue of their ethnicity. I want to ask Christians who have this view, have you read the New Testament? Do you not see that the Christ has come? And you do know that the promises made to Abraham have been fulfilled, that through his physical descendent the blessings of the Messiah have come to all the peoples of the earth (Genesis 12). There is no longer Jew and gentile – indeed, it is all who are in Christ by faith who are the people of God. “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named’” (Romans 9:6–7, ESV).

“That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:16–17, ESV).

So do you understand how it was that the church in Smyrna was experiencing persecution? The evil one used the Jewish people there to oppose the people of God (those who confessed that Jesus is the Christ). They, wishing to do them harm, brought it to the attention of Rome that these Christians would not bow to Caesar. When they refused to bow the knee – when they refused to say, “Caesar is Lord” or to offer up the pinch of incense, they were imprisoned and even put to death.

Last week I sent you all a document from the early church entitled “The Martyrdom of Polycarp”. I would encourage you to read it. The word describes the killing of Polycarp who was a Bishop, or pastor, in Smyrna in the middle of the second century A.D. He died in Smyrna at the hands of the Romans some 50 or 60 years after the book of Revelation was written. It’s a fascinating work which helps us to understand what was going on in this region in those days.

It should noticed that there are different forms of persecution. Death is the most extreme form. But the Christians in Smyrna were also slandered. To slander someone is to speak evil against them to damage their reputation. Slander is an evil thing. It really bothers me to hear slander – to hear people misrepresent the truth or tell outright lies to damage the reputation of others. This was done to the Christians in Smyrna. And we are also told that they were poor (but in fact they were rich, Christ says!). Now it may be that they were simply poor. But the contexts suggest that they were poor because of persecution. If you live in a place where Christianity is despised and you are in the minority it might be hard to get a job. This was probably the case in Smyrna.

But what were they to do in the face of this difficulty? “Do not fear”, Christ says, and “be faithful unto death.” Do not fear and be faithful. Continue steadfast to the end, even if it means that you loose your life.

Friends, this is in fact a decision that Christians all over the world have to make even up to this present day. But how can Christians stand in the face of such persecution? How can they stand in the face of death? How do they not cave in – denying Christ, bowing the knee to another, offering the “pinch of incense”, confessing “Caesar as Lord”?

Well, for one we must confess that it is the Lord who sustains them. He gives them the courage to stand in the moment of testing. But we must also recognize that those who stand have faith that is strong. They really believe that this world is not all there is. They really believe that “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18, ESV). They really believe that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21, ESV). They really believe that, ironically, death means life for the one who is in Christ!

Look at how Christ encourages the Christians in Smyrna to persevere. “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10, ESV). In verse 11 he promises that “the one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:11, ESV). The first death is the physical death that all humans experience. The second death is the judgment. To persevere in Christ means that, though we be stung by the first death, the second death will not touch us. And notice also how Christ introduced himself to this church: “The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life” (Revelation 2:8, ESV).

Conclusion

Do you believe it, Christian? Do you believe that Christ died and came to life? Do you believe that in him is found life everlasting? Do you believe that this world is nothing when compared with the world to come? Do you believe it?

Persecution of any kind, be it slander, loss of wealth, or physical suffering has a way of putting all of that to the test. I do wonder how many would stand. I know that Christ is able to make us stand. And I pray that we would stand, for our good and for the glory of his name.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 2:8-11
Comments Off on Sermon Manuscript: Smynra – A Faith Worth Dying For: Revelation 2:8-11 Posted by Joe

New Testament Reading: Revelation 2:1-7

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’” (Revelation 2:1–7, ESV)

Introduction

If we were, for some reason, restricted to draw out only one principle from the letters to the seven churches I would choose to emphasize this one: local churches (like ours) ought to be concerned, not only with the question, are we a true church? but also, are we a good church – a healthy church – a church that Jesus Christ is pleased with? 

That seems to me to be the general and broad question that Revelation chapters 2-3 raises. Jesus Christ is presented as one walking in the midst of his churches and he is inspecting them, offering words of commendation and also words of rebuke. He is calling the churches to walk faithfully before him in this world in light of the victory that he has won. The message is clear: it is possible to be a true church but not a good one. It is possible to be a true church – one that has true Christians in it – one that teaches the truth of the gospel and administers the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper according to the command of Christ – but to be unhealthy and worthy of rebuke. The letters to the seven churches should compel us to inspect ourselves, asking if we are indeed a good and faithful church of Christ. That seems to me to be the most broad and general principle communicated in the letters to the seven churches.

I, for one, am glad that we are not restricted to draw out only this one broad and general principle from the letters. I think you’d agree that it would be quite frustrating to be told to “be good”, or to “pursue heath”, or to “walk faithfully”, and to be left wondering what it means to be a good, healthy, and faithful church. The descriptors “good” and “healthy” and “faithful” all assume a standard. “Good” according to what standard? “Healthy” in who’s eyes? “Faithful” to what – “faithful” to whom?

I am afraid that many professing Christians and many churches today have – perhaps unknowingly, or perhaps intentionally (motives are a difficult thing to judge) – constructed a standard for themselves. They have decided for themselves what is good and right and true, and it is according to that self-made standard that they are content to live. That way of life sounds a lot like the first sin, if you ask me.  God revealed to the first man and woman what was right and what was wrong, but they took another view. The scriptures everywhere condemn this way of life. We are not to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, good and true, but instead we are called to submit to the God’s word. Isaiah 5:20 addresses this evil, saying,  “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20–21, ESV) There is a lot of this exchanging of good for evil and evil for good in our culture today. It is troubling, but not surprising. What is surprising is to see it in the church too.

It is true that, most broadly, the letters to the seven churches call us to be a good and healthy and faithful church, but see that the letters also provide us with a standard. We are to pursue goodness as Christ sees it – he is the one with eyes like a flame of fire. We are to be faithful to his word – he is the one with a sharp two-edged sword for a tongue. We are to faithful to him – he is Lord of the church. The standard, then, is from him. It does not originate with us.

Of course the letters to the seven churches are not the only place where God’s will for his church is set forth. The holy scriptures from beginning to end are useful in answering the question, what is the will of God for his church? But these seven letters to speak in a most powerful way. Here we find Christ inspecting his churches, offering words of both commendation and rebuke. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, ESV).

What then can we learn Christ’s words to the church in Ephesus? That is the question that is before us this morning.

A Heathy Church Is One That Labors Tirelessly To Guard Sound Doctrine

First of all we learn that a good and healthy church is one that labors tirelessly to guard sound doctrine. This principle is clearly set forth in Christ’s words of commendation. Ephesus is commended by Christ for their diligent defense of the faith.

Look at verses 2 and 3 where Christ says, “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:2–3, ESV). In verse 6 Christ, after rebuking the church, returns to commend them once more, saying, “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (Revelation 2:6, ESV).

Notice a few things about the commendation:

One, see that Ephesus was a church under pressure from without and within.

This is what Christ was referring to when he said, “I know your… toil”. The word “toil” here indicates troubling circumstances or distress.

It is not hard to imagine the trouble that the Ephesian church faced from without. Ephesus was a very important city in Asia Minor. It was a city of wealth and learning. But it was a pagan city, very much devoted to the worship of the Greek goddess, Artemus. There was a very famous temple dedicated to the worship of Artemis located in Ephesus. People from all over the world come to worship there. The temple was very wealthy and very powerful. It was a major source of revenue for the city. Indeed Christians living in this city would have faced trouble fro two reasons. One ,they would have refused to participate in the worship of this false goddess, and two, they, through their preaching and teaching, would have encouraging many to turn from their idolatry to the worship of the one true God.

Acts 19:23ff. helps us to understand the kind of trouble that the Ephesians faced. There we read about the trouble that Paul, along with his traveling companions, Gaius and Aristarcus had in Ephesus in the earliest days of the church. There was a man named “Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, [which, we are told,] brought no little business to the craftsmen” (Acts 19:24, ESV). He gathered other businessmen from the city and reasoned with them, saying,

“Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship” (Acts 19:25–27, ESV).

The rest of the story makes it clear that they wished to do the Christians harm.

So you see that the Christians were treated poorly from the start in Ephesus. I’m sure the trouble continued. They were indeed a countercultural force in the city. They would have been constantly opposed by the broader culture as they labored to advance the cause of Christ in that place. There were pressured from without.

But evidently the pressure also came from within. There were some in the midst of them that claimed to be apostles, but were not. Certainly these men were not claiming to be a part of the inner band of Christ’s apostles – there were only 12 of them and they were well known. These must have claimed to have been part of the broader group of eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection and to have been sent him. Indeed there were hundreds of those. It would have much easier for someone to claim to have been a part of that group. Indeed if they were were they would have possess a certain kind of authority within the early church. But these were not.

Can you image the toil though? Can you imagine how difficult it must have been to be hard pressed from without and from within in this way? I hope that you say, “yes, I can imagine it! More than that I can relate!”

Friends, our culture is no less idolatrous. True, most Americans do not have the same passion for making figurines to bow down to (some do), but Americans have grown particularly fond of making God into their own image in the mind and heart. This too is idolatry. And the church is threatened from within as well. It is not uncommon for people to claim to be apostles even today, and thus to speak with apostolic authority. It is not uncommon for professing Christians to say, “God told me this or that” as if they were prophets. It is not uncommon for the truth of the scripture to be twisted and distorted by those who have made themselves to be teachers within Christ’s church. Indeed, we too are pressed hard from without and from within.

Two, notice that the Ephesians were commended for their diligence.

In verse 2 we hear Christ say, “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance…” (Revelation 2:2, ESV). In verse 3 Christ continues saying,  “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:3, ESV).

The words “patient endurance” in verse 2, and “enduring patiently” in verse 3 come from the same Greek word which means to “bear up under difficult circumstances—‘endurance, being able to endure.’” Notice the repetition in verse 3. Christ also commends the Ephesians for “bearing up for [his] name’s sake, and… not [growing] weary.”

Christ leaves no doubt that Ephesians were indeed strong when it came to their persistence, their ability to endure difficulty, their steadfastness. I picture a rugged and resolute people. I picture a disciplined church – a consistent church, not easily moved or shaken. May this be true of us.

Three, notice that they were diligent, not in all things, but specifically in the area of guarding truth.

There is a play on words here in this text. In verse 3 the Ephesians are commended for “bearing up” for the sake of Christ’s name (this we have already seen).  But in verse 2 they are commended for the fact that they would not “bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false” (Revelation 2:2, ESV). It is the same word both in the English and the Greek.  The Ephesians would “bear up” under anything for the sake of Christ’s name. They would endure patiently. They would suffer long under persecution and stand resolutely in the face of opposition. But there was something that they would not “bear with”, namely, evil men in their midst. These they would not put up with for long.

The Ephesians put people to the test. The word “tested” in verse 2 means “to try to learn the nature or character of someone or something by submitting such to thorough and extensive testing—‘to test, to examine, to put to the test, examination, testing.’”  This the Ephesians did. And for this Christ commended them.

I tremble for the churches in our day who refuse to test their members and who refuse to test those who teach in their midst. “Judge not, that you be not judged”, they say (Matthew 7:1, ESV). This verse they misinterpret while ignoring the clear teaching of Paul when he says,

“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you’” (1 Corinthians 5:9–13, ESV).

The Ephesians were faithful in this. And for this – the testing and putting away of the evil person – they were commended by Christ.

Specifically they “tested those who [called] themselves apostles and [were] not, and found them to be false” (Revelation 2:2, ESV). It is not hard to imagine how this played out. Undoubtably men came to the church in Ephesus seeking to obtain a position of prominence. The Ephesian church was an important one in the early days of the church. Timothy pastored there. Paul would frequent the church on occasion. John the Apostle lived there for many years. It was a prominent place. And prominent places tend to attract those who desire positions of prominence. You can imagine them coming to Ephesus saying, “I am an apostle of Christ – I was an eyewitness to the resurrection – I was commissioned by him.” The Ephesians were not gullible. They put the men to the test investigating their claims, examine their teaching, and observing their way of life. They found many to be “false”. They were found to be liars uttering falsehoods and were not received.

It appears that Timothy, who was one of the early pastors of the church in Ephesus, prepared the church well to thrive in this reguard. In 1 Timothy 1:3, which was written in about A.D. 62, Paul wrote to young Timothy saying,

“I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, [to] remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith” (1 Timothy 1:3–4, ESV).

It would seem that Timothy accomplished this task. 30 years later, when the book of Revelation was written, the Ephesian church was still faithful to test men in regard to their doctrine.

We should also remember the charge that Paul gave to the elders of the church in Ephesus while passing through on one of his missionary journeys. He gathered them together and warned them, saying,

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:28–32, ESV).

It would seem to me that the Ephesian elders fulfilled their calling. They cared for the church of God well, protecting them from wolves – that is, from those who teach twisted things. And they must have also been faithful to raise up the next generation to do the same thing, for indeed the saints at Ephesus were found faithful in 90 A.D. when Revelation was written. A study of church history reveals that Ephesus was a bastion for truth well into the second century. That is quite a legacy.

Not only did they test those who claimed to be apostles, but were not, they also “[hated] the works of the Nicolaitans, which [Christ said] I also hate” (Revelation 2:6, ESV). There is a kind of hatred that is sinful. It is wrong what God loves. It is wrong to hate what God does not hate. But it is right to hate what God hates. In this instance the Ephesians hated – the word means “to dislike strongly…to detest” – the works of the Nicolaitans.

We don’t know much about these Nicolaitans. I’ll say more about them when they are mentioned again in Revelation 2:15 in the letter to Pergamum. There they are associated with “the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:14, ESV). The story of Balaam and Balak is too long for me to tell now. It is recorded for us in Numbers 22 through 25 if you care to read it. For now it will suffice to say that, in one way or another, these Nicolaitans were guilty of tempting the people of God to compromise in regard to idolatry and sexual immorality – not surprising given the religious climate in the city of Ephesus. The Ephesians would have none of it. They “[hated] the works of the Nicolaitans, which [Christ] also [hated]” (Revelation 2:6, ESV).

Friends, do you see that a healthy church is one that labors tirelessly to guard sound doctrine. The Ephesians were a positive example in this, and they are to be imitated. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

A Healthy Church Is One That Labors In Their Love For One Another 

Secondly, notice that a healthy church is one that labors in their love for one another. We learn this, not by hearing a commendation, but a rebuke, for was at this point that the Ephesians had failed.

Look with me at verse 4 where Christ says, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4, ESV).

What does this mean? What does “the love you had at first” refer to? Some say that the Ephesians are rebuked for loosing their love for Christ. Really there is no evidence for that. They are not guilty of idolatry as Pergamum was. They are concerned to maintain the proper worship of God and of Christ. Their works seem to be indicative of a love for Christ. It should be recognized that the text does not mean, “you have left your first, as in, supreme, love” but rather, “you have lost the love that you had at first”. In other words, “at first you loved, but you have abandoned that.” If the text meant “you have left your supreme love” then I would agree that it would have to be a reference to their love for Christ, for he is to be our supreme love, but that is not what the text says.

It is also important to notice how it is that they are told to repent. The were to repent by “[doing] the works [they] did at first” (Revelation 2:5, ESV). The love that Christ has in mind here is not an emotion. It is not that the Ephesians fell out of love with Jesus. It is not that they one possessed an emotional fervor and have lost it. Instead, it is that they one were doing something that they, as some point, stopped doing, They were to The were to repent by “[doing] the works [they] did at first” (Revelation 2:5, ESV).

Instead seems to point to their having lost their love for one another. They were failing to love one another with brotherly and sisterly love. Love is an action, remember. And Christians are to love one another. They are to good to one another. This is the thing that they were failing to do, and they are called to repent by “[doing] the works [they] did at first” (Revelation 2:5, ESV).

Consider a few things:

One, it is not hard to imagine how this situation might have arisen at Ephesus. The church was constantly under assault from false teachers and evil men. They had to test these men. They had to examine their background, their doctrine, and their way of life. This they did. But it easy to do it in the wrong way and with the wrong spirit. It is easy develop a judgmental spirit in situations like these. But the church is called to judge in love. Even in extreme cases of discipline, the church is to discipline in love. It is true that we are to hate the dead of those who are evil, but we not the person. Certainly we are to maintain our love for one another.

Two, it is interesting to consider the letter that Paul wrote to the Ephesians in 62 A.D.. That letter says a lot about love.  Paul wrote,

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV).

Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1–2, ESV). I can’t help but wonder if Paul was sensing a problem in Ephesus even then. Perhaps the problem grew more acute by 90 A.D.?

Three, consider that John the Apostle spent time in Ephesus in his later years. John is known as the Apostle of love because he wrote so much about it. Could it have been that he had the saints in Ephesus in mind when wrote, “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1 John 3:11, ESV). And “this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us” (1 John 3:23, ESV). And “beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7, ESV). And “beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11, ESV). 1 John is not addressed to Ephesus, but perhaps he wrote with this congregation in view.

Four, consider how Jesus introduced himself to Ephesus. These are “the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands” (Revelation 2:1, ESV). Christ holds the seven churches in his hand. Is this not a reminder of the tender love and care that Christ has for his churches? If Christ loves his churches and cares for them should we not also love and care for one another? Also, Christ introduced himself as the one that walks in the midst of the lampstands. In other words, he is present with us and knows how we are behaving toward one another. The way that Christ introduced himself would have certainly encouraged Ephesus to in fact repent and to do the works they did at first.

Five, consider how Christ threatened Ephesus. He said, “repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5, ESV). The symbol of the lampstand was to remind the churches that they were shine as lights in the world. And how is it that we churches manage to shine as lights? Remember the words of Christ in Matthew 5:14:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16, ESV).

This was precisely where the Ephesians were falling short. They were failing to love one another. They were failing to do good works towards one another and to the non-believing world. Perhaps their continuous toil and the never-ending need to test and oppose those who were false led to a hardness of heart and a judgmental spirit. Christ warned them, saying, if you will not shine as lights as I have called you to shine then I will remove your lampstand from it’s place.

May it never be said of us. May we always speak the truth but in love.

A Heathy Church Is One That Repents When Christ Rebukes

Lastly, see that a healthy church is one that repents when Christ rebukes.

We ought to repent so as to avoid Christ’s judgment. Ephesus was threatened to have their lamp stand removed. We should repent we we are confronted with the Christ’s word so as to avoid his discipline and his judgment. But we should also repent so as to taste the reward.

To Ephesus is was promised that “to the one who conquers [Christ] will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Their eyes were fixed upon the end. Their eyes were fixed upon the reward that Christ has earned. Adam, by his disobedience – by his refusal to submit to God’s will for him – lost the right to eat of the tree of life. But Christ, by his obedience – by his perfect submission to the will of God – earned for us the right to eat of that tree. May we trust in  him and follow his example, submitting to God’s will in all things.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 2:1-7
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Pre-Introduction

Today I would like to read all of Revelation 2 and 3. You’ll notice that we do not have an Old Testament reading today. This is simply because the New Testament reading is so unusually long.  We are reading all of chapters 2 and 3 in order to consider the letters to the seven churches all at once. We will come back to each of the letters individually in the weeks to come, but today we will consider them as a unit. The letters to the seven churches form a distinct section of the book of Revelation. Some important general observations need to be made about these letters before we delve into each letter specifically and individually. Let us give ourselves now to the reading of God’s holy word.

New Testament Reading: Revelation 2-3

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.’ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.’ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.’ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.’ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

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

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.’ ‘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. 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. 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. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

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.’ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 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. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 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. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 2–3, ESV).

Introduction

In previous sermons I have emphasized that the book of Revelation is a worldview book. It shows us how things really are in the world. Things are not always as they appear. It is possible to interpret the world around us – the things that we see with our natural eyes; the events of human history – in a variety of ways. But God has revealed something of himself to us. He has shown us something of who he is and what his purposes are. The whole of scripture is indeed a record of God’s revelation, but the book of Revelation itself reveals in a most vivid way through its visions lifting us up to that we might see things as God sees them.

The book opens our eyes to realities concerning God and the Christ. Who are they? Where are they? What have they accomplished? What power and glory do they possess? This we touched upon last week. But the book also opens our eyes to the reality of what God and his Christ are doing in the world today and were they will bring human history in the end.

To put it briefly God and his Christ are establishing a kingdom now. The kingdom was inaugurated, or begun, at Christ’s first coming (remember the announcement of John the Baptist and Jesus saying, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”? (Matthew 3:2; 10:7)). And the kingdom will be consummated, or made perfect and complete, at Christ’s second coming. In Revelation 11:15 the end is described and we read these words: “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15, ESV). Here is a description of the consummation of Christ’s kingdom – in the end the kingdom will cover all.

But what is Christ doing now? He is advancing his kingdom. He’s building it. He doing the thing that we pray for when we pray, “thy kingdom come.” He is destroying Satan’s kingdom while advancing the kingdom of grace, bringing more and more into it and keeping them in it by the proclamation of the gospel and the preaching of the word. That is what God is doing now. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are advancing the kingdom of Christ.

Remember the introduction to the book of Revelation. The theme of “kingdom” is there from the start. John reminds us in 1:6 that Christ has “made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:6, ESV). In 1:9 John refers to himself as our “brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus…” (Revelation 1:9, ESV). And remember that in 1:13 John begins to describe to us the vision that he saw of Jesus Christ and the first thing that he said about him was that he looked like a “son of man.” I spent some time a few weeks ago trying to demonstrate to you that this title, “son of man”, comes from Daniel 7. There we are told of a vision that Daniel the prophet saw. He also saw “one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him [the son of man, who is the Christ] was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13–14, ESV). In Revelation this one like a “son of man” appears to John. This time he is not going to the Ancient of Days, as he was in Daniel’s vision, but is coming from him. And he is not going to receive “dominion and glory and a kingdom” in the future, for he has it now! He has dominion. He has glory. He has his kingdom. This is Jesus the Christ. He is the King. His kingdom is here now. And his kingdom is advancing. It is moving from inauguration towards consummation.

But we might ask the question, where is it? Where is this kingdom of God that is supposedly in the world today? I know where the kingdoms of this earth are. I can see the worldly powers. I can pull up a political map and see the boundaries. I can see the rulers. I can see the citizens. There they are in plain sight! But where is the kingdom of God? Who is the ruler? Who are the citizens? Where is the territory?

Revelation reveals it to us, friends.

We’ve already been introduced to the king of this kingdom. He is the son of man – “the first and the last… the living one.” The one who “died… [who is] alive forevermore… [who has] the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17–18, ESV). He is the king.

And the citizens have also been identified. It is those who are loved by God, who have been freed from their sins by the blood of Christ who have been made into a kingdom (Revelation 1:5–6, ESV). The citizens of this kingdom are those who have faith in Christ. They are the elect ones. They are the regenerate ones. They are the one who’s sins have been washed by the blood of the Lamb.

And something has already been said concerning the territory. The citizens of this kingdom do not have a territory now – they do not possess a land – but are living as sojourners. The book of Revelation was originally addressed to some of the citizens of Christ’s kingdom and they were living in Rome – specifically in Asia Minor. They had duel citizenship, then. They were citizens of Rome, living in Roman territory. But they were also living as citizens of Christ’s kingdom, and in that respect, they were sojourners. The same is true for you and me. We too have a duel citizenship. We are citizens of this earthly kingdom. We are, in that sense, at home. But we are principally citizens of the heavenly kingdom. In that respect we are sojourners wandering in a foreign land. This is not home, then. For Christ’s  “kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36, ESV).

This will not be the case forever though. The book of Revelation describes to us the day when “The kingdom of the world [will] become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15, ESV). Indeed the day will come when “the dwelling place of God [will be] with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3, ESV). In other words, at the consummation – when Christ returns – the kingdoms of this earth will be no more, and the kingdom of Christ will be all there is. This will be his territory and ours. No longer will we have duel citizenship – no longer will we wander as sojourners – indeed we will be truly home.

The reason that I wanted to consider the letters to the seven churches broadly is because a lot is revealed here concerning Christ’s kingdom as it is now. We know that the kingdom was inaugurated, or begun, at Christ’s first coming, and we know that it will one day be here in full – Revelation is clear about these things – but the book also communicates a great deal about the kingdom as it is now.

Remember that in 1:19 Christ spoke to John saying, “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” (Revelation 1:19, ESV). The Revelation of John is broken into two major sections, then. The first section deals with things “that are” from John’s perspective. The second section deals with things “that are to take place after this” from John’s perspective. The divide between the two sections is 4:1. Chapters 2 and 3 are therefore saying something to us about how things are in Christ’s kingdom.

Christ The King Walks In The Midst Of His Churches To Inspect Them

In chapter 1 Christ is seen walking in the midst of seven lampstands which represent the seven churches. In chapter 2 it becomes clear what he is doing there. Christ the king is walking in the midst of his churches to inspect them. It was true then and it is true now. Christ the king walks in the midst of his churches to inspect them. He, like a good king, is concerned for the well being of his kingdom. He inspects the kingdom to observe the state of things.

Notice that he walks, not in the midst of individual Christians, inspecting them individually, but in the midst of local churches. He walks in the midsts of local churches and judges them corporately. This is incredibly significant. When we come to faith in Christ we are indeed rescued out of the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of light as an individual, but not to walk in isolation, but rather belonging to a kingdom.

The Christian life is a communal thing. We are together the body of Christ, each member doing it’s part. We together make up Christ’s flock. We are individual stones, but joined together we become the temple of God. Christ did, not die merely for individuals, but for his church  – “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:25–26, ESV). There is a sense in which we come to Christ individually and personally, but not to walk in isolation. To be a Christian is to belong to Christ’s kingdom, you being one of many citizens. And the kingdom becomes a visible thing as the citizens gather in local churches. That is how Christ’s kingdom is organized in these last days. The citizens of the kingdom of God are to gather together in local churches consisting of officers and members.

Friends, you are living in disobedience if you are a Christian who refuses to join a local church. You might be a Christian – it may be that you have authentic faith in Christ (who am I to judge that?) – but I can say with certainty that you are a disobedient Christian if you are walking in this world alone, detached from the local church. The only exception that I can imagine is a Christian living in a place where there is no local church to join. In that case they ought to pray that God provide a church. Perhaps they should move, if possible.

Have you noticed that Bible is a church book? It screams “church” from beginning to end. The word “church” simply means “gathering, congregation, assembly”. Since the fall God has been “gathering” a people for himself, calling them out of the world to worship and to serve him. Notice I did not say “people” but “a people”, that is, a community. His design was to have a people – a kingdom – citizens who together call him Lord. This was true under the Old Covenant and it comes to prominence in the New. Everything in the New Testament is about the arrival and advancement of Christ’s kingdom through the advancement of the church. The four gospels tell us about the coming of the kingdom of God through the life, death, burial and resection of Christ. The kingdom is “at hand”. And we are told of Christ’s choosing, training and commissioning of his Apostles. They are sent by him to expand the kingdom. And what did they do? The book of Acts tells us what they did. They preached the good news and they planted local churches with officers and members as men and women turned from their sins to Christ. After the book of Acts we have Paul’s letters. And who did he write to? He wrote to churches! And if he did not write to churches, he wrote to pastors who were pastoring in churches. The whole of the New Testament screams “local church”.

Revelation is no different. It was addressed to local churches. Christ is seen walking in the midst of those churches – he is the king and he is walking through his kingdom. His kingdom can be observed in this world, not by looking on a map, and not by imagining all individual Christians scattered throughout the world, but by looking to the local and visible church.

Why do Christians sometimes object to joining a local church? Usually they we will say, the church is filled with hypocrites. We must be careful here. I would agree that there are some churches that are not really churches, and those should be avoided. But something else should be noticed – imperfect churches are still true churches.

Notice some things that all of the letters  to the seven churches share in common.

One, notice that in each instance Christ introduces himself to the particular church in way that draws upon the vision that John saw of the Christ as he walked in the in the midst of the lampstands – it is that Christ who addresses each of the churches. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands” (Revelation 2:1, ESV). “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life” (Revelation 2:8, ESV). We will find that the particular way that Christ introduces himself will correspond to the particular way in which the particular church is struggling. Christ has all that we need to thrive as local churches.

Two, notice that in each letter Christ says the words, “I know…” For example to Ephesus Christ says, “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake… but I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:3–4, ESV). To Smyrna he says,  “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)…” (Revelation 2:9, ESV). To Pergamum he says, “ know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name…” (Revelation 2:13, ESV). In every letter Christ says, “I know”. Christ is not blind to the condition of his churches.

Three, notice that the churches, by in large, are found in a poor condition. Five of the seven churches are rebuked in these letters. Of the five that are rebuked two are on the verge of being removed. The first church, Ephesus, is warned “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5, ESV). And the last church, Laodicea, is also on the verge. To them Christ says, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15–16, ESV). These two churches are on the verge of loosing their right to be called a church. Churches two and six – Smyrna and Philadelphia – are only commended. Christ warns them in this way, saying, “be faithful” and “hold fast”. The middle three churches – Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis – are mixed. Some have gone astray and some have remained faithful. Those who have erred are warned, those who have remained faithful are commended and are encouraged to remain faithful.

It should be noticed that the letters to the seven churches are probably are organized according to their geographical location – they are listed in the order in which a letter carrier would probably take the letter from John on the Island of Patmos to the churches, starting on the west coast of modern-day Turkey, working north, moving inland and then coming south. But there is also a literary structure to be noticed. The first and last churches mention are in the worst shape. The middle three are also bad. Two and six are doing well. We have a chiastic structure the that goes A, B, C,C,C, B, A. The structure serves to emphasizes the sorry state of these churches with the beginning, middle and end positions belonging to churches in need of firm rebuke.

What’s the point?

To say, “the church is filled with hypocrites” is no excuse for avoiding local church membership. The churches of Christ have always been impure, some more than others. Have you ever read Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth? What a mess! And yet Paul called them a church. Five of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation are impure – two are on the verge of being removed. But impure churches are still churches.

Christ is Lord of his church, not you. He is the one who “knows his churches”, and he is the one who has the authority to “remove” them. He is the one who“vomits” churches “out of his mouth”. A Christian should labor to find a healthy church, but it is wrong to avoid a church because it is impure in some way. Some churches should be avoided at all costs, their corruption being so great that they are no longer truly churches. But an impure church is still a true church.

Chapter 26 of our Confession provides a wonderful summery of the Bible’s teaching on the church. Let me read paragraph 3 to you.

“The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan; nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name.”

Two things: One, even the purest churches have some mixture and error in them. Get over it and be obedient to Christ and join if you are Christian. Two, it is possible for a church to so degenerate that it becomes no church of Christ, but a synagogue of Satan. Where that line is God only knows. But let us recognize that it is possible for a church to so degenerate doctrinally or morally that it ceases to be a church. I think it is right to pray for churches that have degenerated morally or doctrinally that Christ would either bring them to repentance or vomit them out of his mouth – one or the other – for the sake of his name. But that is Christ’s work, not ours. I’ve seen him do it. We ought to tremble at the thought of it. We can warn people concerning unhealthy churches, but Christ must remove them. He is Lord of his church.

Christ The King Speaks to His Churches Urging Them To Walk Faithfully 

Notice, briefly, that Christ speaks to his churches urging them to walk faithfully. He calls his churches into existence by his word, and he purifies his churches by his word. His word is what has called us out of the kingdom of darkness an into the kingdom of light. And it is his word which dictates how his churches are to be. It sounds obvious, but it is a truth greatly neglected in our day. Many churches have decided for themselves what they will be. But God’s word regulates what we shall be.

We will consider carefully Christ’s words to the seven churches in the weeks to come, but for now see that Christ is always about the work of refining his bride by his word and Spirit. He commends us where we are strong, and he rebukes us where we are week. He calls us to repentance. He even threatens to judge us. To rebellious ones in Pergamum, for example, Christ said, “Repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:16, ESV).

Isn’t interesting that Christ spoke to each of these seven churches, not privately, but publicly? His commendations and his rebukes were public. He did not send a private message to each, but spoke to each in a book that would be circulated to all.

The reason is this: We can all learn from the successes and failures of other churches. These seven churches represent all churches. There were seven of them, remember, and the numbers in Revelation have symbolic force, seven being the number of completeness or perfection. Those churches represent all churches, and their successes and troubles were not unique to them but are common to all. For example, I’m sure that when Ephesus read what was said to Pergamum they were edified by that word too, being encouraged by those areas in which they were strong and lead to tremble concerning the areas in which they were weak, lest they fall in the same way.

And isn’t it interesting that each letter concludes with the words, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, ESV). What was said to Ephesus, then, is said to all.

Notice also the way in which Thyatira was warned. There were some in that church who were sexually immoral. Christ speaks to them saying, “I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:21–23, ESV). This warning was given to some in Thyatira, but through them the warning was made to all. And the punishment for the sin would come upon the unrepentant adulterers, but all of the churches would see it and “know that [Christ]… searches mind and heart, and…will give to each… according to [their] works” (Revelation 2:21–23, ESV).

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, ESV).

Christ The King Urges His Churches To Walk Faithfully Given The Victory He Has Won

Lastly see that these letters are written to urge local churches, and the Christians who are in them, to walk faithfully with Christ given the victory he has won.

Here is another feature that repeats in each letter. Christ holds out the promise of reward to each of the churches if they would only be faithful. To Sardis, for example, Christ promises that “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” (Revelation 3:5, ESV). To Laodiceans Christ says, “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” (Revelation 3:21, ESV). The churches are urged to walk faithful in light of the victory he has won. The book of Revelation from chapter 4 onward will tell the story of Christ’s victory again and again from different vantage points. The whole of the book, then, becomes an encouragement to Christians to walk faithful with Christ given the victory he has won.

Conclusion 

A broad and general consideration of the letters to the seven churches ought to make us sober concerning the seriousness of the Christian life. In earlier sermons I emphasized how comforting it is to know that Christ is with us, walking in the midst of the churches. Indeed it is comforting to know that he, the first and last, the one who died and is now alive forevermore, the one with the keys to hades and death, walks with us in this world. It is comforting indeed. But does it not also make you tremble with a holy and reverent kind of fear. Jesus judges, my friends. I know it is unpopular to say so, but it is true. Jesus judges. He will judge in the end, and he judges now.

We ought to fear the Lord as individuals, knowing that he see all things and that he judges the thoughts, intents, and actions of men.

And we ought to fear the Lord as a church, knowing that he walks in our midst to inspect us. He has called us out of darkness and into light so that we might upheld his truth, walk in love towards one another, and live holy before him. May we tremble at the thought of falling short in any of these things. May we labor to be one of the church to who Christ says, “well done. Now persevere.”

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