The book of Revelation is understandable, not obscure, and chapters two and three offer portraits of churches and individuals that reveal Christ's perspective on spiritual needs. The sermon examines the seven churches of Asia, noting that each is commended for some aspects while rebuked for others, and that these churches and their issues often characterize individuals and modern churches as well. The Ephesian church is rebuked for leaving its first love, the Smyrnean church is commended for faithfulness amidst persecution, and the Pergamum church is warned against moral compromise. Thyatira is criticized for theological error, Sardis for spiritual deadness, Philadelphia for faithfulness, and Laodicea for lukewarmness, urging listeners to examine themselves and remain zealous for God.
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not trying to expound every passage or every verse, but trying to find the key to understand this book because so many scholars and Bible students throw up their hands and say, I can't understand the book of Revelation. And I think that's not true. I think it can be understood as like any other book. Now, there's a lot of symbolism in this book. It won't be transparent. When first you read it, you may have to study a bit. But alongside these symbolic presentations, There are plenty of plain prophecies. We saw that in chapter one, where it says in plain English that Christ is going to return, that every eye is going to see him, and he's coming back to judge the world. Revelation one seven. We also have a clear picture of Christ and his glory as he is now, in contrast to when he was on earth, when his glory was veiled.
And these are not difficult things to understand. They may not understand them completely. But they're not obscure. God didn't write the Bible. to hide the truth, he wrote the Bible, had the Bible written to reveal the truth. And while it takes some time, the Holy Spirit and study to understand it, it's nevertheless open to those who seek the truth. Now today, we're going to deal with chapters two and three. And as I pointed out, the book of Revelation has three time factors. It's described in chapter one, verse nineteen, the things which were, that is what John saw in chapter one, which is the present situation. And then in chapter two and three, the messages to the churches that you want to deal with today, which has also the present, the things which are, and then beginning in chapter four, we're going to deal with the things that are future, the things which shall be after this.
And most of the book of Revelation deals with the future. So I understand that some of you, at least, have studied chapters two and three recently and probably more in detail than I'm going to do this morning. But I want you to look at these seven churches as portraits. First of churches, and second of individuals. You know the Bible is a mirror. We see ourselves there in our sin, in our problems, as well as in our promises of grace and glory. And as we read about these seven churches, you'll find they characterize individuals as well as churches. And then, of course, there is the message to the church itself, the seven churches of Asia.
That was its first meaning, then to individuals, and then to any church that corresponds to this. And I think in our modern world, we have churches that correspond to these various seven churches, or combinations of it sometimes, in one church. So we want to study this from the standpoint of getting at what Christ views as his church and as individual Christians. Now, it's strange that these two chapters have been so neglected. It's amazing. How many people know about the epistles of Paul, epistles of John, but don't know anything about the two chapters here in Revelation? The Church of England has a course where it takes us through in their church year of various scriptures.
They just skip these two chapters. And here we have this dynamic and incisive revelation from Christ as to what he considers the real spiritual needs of the church, and it's often totally neglected. So let us take a look at this. Now, each of these churches has certain characteristics. You'll notice that in most cases he commends them for some things, and then he rebukes them for some things, and then he offers individuals the challenge to consider this for themselves. He wants them to apply, and he tells us, he that has an ear, let him hear. You know the trouble with Christians sometimes, they aren't listening. God wants to reveal things to them. but they aren't reading the Bible, they aren't listening to the truth, and they proceed in continued ignorance.
It's amazing how many Christians, after years in the church, are still babes in Christ as far as knowledge of Christ and of the Word is concerned. Now this first letter was addressed to the church at Ephesus. Ephesus had a church there that was an outstanding church, one of the great churches of the apostolic period. It is here where Paul spent several years. And later Timothy was pastor. And then later John, the apostle, was pastor there. And it was a church that had a tremendous outreach. We have indicated that it was responsible for getting the gospel out in that whole area. And they were so successful in winning Christians of people to Christ that the business of that city, which was to sell images of Diana, over whom they had a great temple there, was hurt.
And they had a riot when the sales people for this Diana, this pagan God, said their sales were being hurt by this new teaching. It's rather interesting when the church has enough impact to even get the world's attention, and it did at Ephesus. But there are some things that are indicated here. Now you'll bear in mind that Paul had wrote a letter to the Ephesians in which he commends them and deals with very spiritual truth. But that was years before this. Now here we're dealing with Approximately thirty years or sixty years after the death of Christ approximately. And Christians here were in their second and third generations.
In other words, the first generation of believers had died out. There was a second generation and now probably a third generation. Well, strange as it may seem, it's customary and often observed that as churches go on, they lose a little bit. And so it was here. Now, the church at Ephesus was commended because it still was solid theologically. But it's possible to be sound theologically and be sound asleep, do you know? And that's unfortunately true with some churches that are fundamental doctrine but aren't awake to evangelism or the spiritual life or the challenges of living for Christ. And this Ephesian church is told that God had something against them because they had left their first love.
Now that's an interesting expression, isn't it? Left their first love. Verse four, Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. He said, Remember therefore, from where you have fallen, repent, do the first works, or else I'll come to you quickly and remove your candlestick from its place unless you repent. In other words, they lose their opportunity for a real testimony for Christ. I think it's a very searching question to ask ourselves. You know, at New Year's time, we always review things and It's a time for resolutions, you know, to ask ourselves the important question. Am I a more intelligent, a more committed Christian now than a year ago? That's pretty searching, particularly if you've lived a long time.
But are you really getting better, or are you drifting away from the truth of God? As a pastor, I saw people doing both. Some grew in grace. Some progressed as they studied the Bible, and others grew careless and drifted away. In most churches, they lose about ten percent of their members every year. It's a sad thing that people that once served the Lord lose their interest, lose their zeal for God, their love for the things of God, and the result is their lives no longer are a testimony. God takes the lampstand or the candlestick out of their ways, and they're not bearing a light for God. So when you look in the mirror, ask yourselves, is this a picture of me?
As people think of me, do they think I'm a person who loves the Lord? Do I have a testimony like that? Well, that's what we should have, you know. Because Christ said, By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, because you have loved one for another. And it seems like we describe ourselves in every other way, our denomination or our church or our doctrine. But love, often that's omitted. And yet that is the most important factor at all. Now, he commends them for... not following the deeds of the Nicolaitans. Now, we don't know exactly what that was, but apparently it was a sector, a wrong teaching that helped them away from God and didn't help them to God.
And they hated it, and he commends them for it. But he concludes in verse seven, he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. In other words, this is an appeal now to the individual in the church, an appeal to you, an appeal to me, And to him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Now there's a sense in which every Christian overcomes. You don't get to heaven unless you overcome by faith. But here is a special promise that we're going to have special consideration, apparently, when we get to heaven and partake of the tree of life if we've served the Lord well. So, Ephesian Church, the church, with declining love...
declining zeal, orthodox, yes, but not really having a testimony for God, such as should have been their lot. Now, the church at Smyrna was located in a town north of Ephesus, by some thirty-five miles, I believe, and it was a persecuted church. There was a lot of wickedness and satanic influence in that city, as there were, and, of course, all these pagan cities. but the Christians there were under real persecution. They were really suffering. And Christ said, I know your works, your tribulation, your poverty. If you are rich and know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
He says to them, do not fear your suffering. Instead, the devil is bound to throw you into prison that you may be tested and you will have tribulation ten days Now the scholars wrangle over what that ten days is. Apparently it's a time of testing, but it's literally ten days. I don't know. We don't know what the background was. But there was danger of them being thrown in prison for their Christian testimony. Now most of us have never faced an issue like that. There are Christians in the world that are in prison for their faith. And Christians who have died as martyrs, hundreds, thousands of them. But most of us haven't faced that. But this Smyrna church did. And he says, be faithful and a death.
And I'll give you the crown of light. You see, it's not the end when a Christian dies. It's the introduction to heaven. In fact, a person who's a martyr is sometimes better off than the people who aren't martyred. Because he goes immediately into the heaven, into the presence of the Lord. And so here again, he feels the individual. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. In other words, if you're going through deep waters and trouble, cheer up. God's with you in it. He's allowed it, and suffering has its fruit in our lives. You know there's various reasons for suffering. Sometimes suffering is a discipline. We fail to serve the Lord.
Whom the Lord loveth, he chastises, he scourges every son whom he receives. Yes, we can suffer if we don't serve the Lord as a cost to not being a Christian like he should be. But sometimes suffering is preventive. You know, in the case of the Apostle Paul, He had apparently an eye infliction of some sort, which was common in his day. And he was taught the Lord three times to have it taken away. And Paul experienced miracles in his life. The Lord said, no, you're better with it than without it. In other words, sometimes suffering prevents us from being what we shouldn't be, proud or boastful or self-sufficient. We're taught the lessons of suffering.
And sometimes... suffering is a means of testimony. When I was in college, one year I was president of what they call the Christian Endeavor, the Young People Society. And we did pretty well on Sunday nights. We got out about half of the students in college, even though a lot of them went home for weekends. And we had a good time. And we had a council of six officers we met every week for prayer and for working out our program. And one of the people on the council was a girl, very vivacious and lively, wonderful gal. And she ultimately graduated from college and married one of the students who was a doctor. And he went through medical school and was in his medical practice for about three years.
And suddenly one day he had a cerebral hemorrhage and just dropped in. No warning at all. Here she was left the young widow. Well, later on she remarried and had a number of children, including one or two foster children, I believe. And then there was a polio epidemic, and she came down with polio. They told her she'd never walk again. Well, she was a plucky gal, and after treatment and after struggling, she managed to get around enough to just walk a little. And then one night her house caught on fire, and she managed to get out of the house with the children, but she lost everything. You say, why does one person have to suffer so much?
Well, you know, as a result of her experience, especially with polio, she was able to deal with a lot of young women who were married and suffered polio and were floundering because of it, and she led one after another to Christ, and she wouldn't have been able to do it if she hadn't been through that experience. She could talk and explain to them that God is sufficient in our weakness, physical or otherwise, and He can help us in our needs. And so God used that suffering as a pedestal, as a pulpit for her service. And you and I can use our experience as difficult as they are, sometimes to reach people who have had similar experiences. You know that's very helpful. You want to talk to somebody, you want to have someone who knows what you're going through.
And if they've been through it, they can often help you and encourage you. And that was true of those in persecution. Here in the church at Smyrna, there is no rebuke. No reminder of any failure. Somehow the very fact that they were suffering was a purging influence, and they learned through suffering patience. As we leave in Ramon III, when we suffer, we will learn patience and hope through that experience. Now the third church was the church at Pergamus. And this was an unusual city because it had a lot of Satan worship. And some of the evils of Babylon had transferred to Pergamus and were being observed there in the Babylonian religion.
And this church is described as one that was entering into moral compromises. Now they were theologically sound. They don't imply that the doctrine was wrong, but their practice was wrong. And one of the problems we have in America is we're living in a materialistic age. And even churches that are sound in doctrine sometimes err along the line of materialism. And that's what was wrong with this. And so he says to them, who had the sharp two-edged sword, see the Bible is like a two-edged sword, it penetrates and cuts through, I know your works and where you dwell, and where Satan's throne is, and you hold fast to my name and do not deny the faith.
even in the days which Antipas was my faithful martyr who was killed among you, where Satan dwells, you see that even had a martyr in their church, and they had stood true to the test of doctrine, but he says, I have a few things against you because they have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balaac to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat the things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Now, Remember the story of Balaam. He was a prophet and the enemies of Israel wanted to hire him to pronounce a curse on Israel. And he tried, but he couldn't. God wouldn't let him pronounce a curse on Israel.
But he did give the king some advice. And his advice was to encourage Israelites to intermarry with the heathen. And they did. And of course that was the downfall of Israel's application. And he says, here you have the same thing You see at Pergamum, as in other countries, they had pagan sacrifices as part of their social life. It was very difficult for a Christian to extricate himself from that social background. And so he talks about this. He said, you have also those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaeans, which thing I hate. Whatever that was, it was something that was contrary to the will of God morally, perhaps doctrine is well. And he said, repent.
or else I'll come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. In other words, the truth of God is the cure for worldliness. He who has an ear, let him hear, what the Spirit says to the churches. Again, the appeal to the individual, not to be a compromiser, but to be one who serves the Lord and avoids the worldly things. You know we have the great appeal in Romans twelve, one and two that you're familiar with. Or Paul wrote, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God that you may present to your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Then he goes on in verse two to say, be not conformed to this world.
It's amazing how we conform to the world. I know there's some things about it that aren't wrong. I don't think it's wrong for a Christian to dress reasonably. And to some extent, cooperate with the idea of the fashions of this world, though sometimes they're outlandish. And we have to choose what we're going to wear and not wear. But there is such a thing as conformity to the world, giving in to the world's standards of materialism and show and wealth and so on that is contrary to the Christian doctrine. And he said, repent, or else I'll come to you quickly. will fight against you with the sword of my mouth.
And so he exhorts them to listen. And he says to him who overcomes, I'll give some of the hidden manna to eat. In other words, they will participate in the wonderful truth that is in Christ Jesus if they walk with him. And I'll give him a white stone and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it. A lot of debate about the white stone. But probably the main point is that their name is written on it. It indicates acceptance. God is going to accept us as we identify with him and not with the world. And, of course, Paul wrote, he said, between him and the world was the cross. I'm crucified. He said, between me and the world, the cross stands up as separating him from the world and its standards and separating him to God and his moral standards.
young people particularly are under terrible pressure today peer pressure to give in to do what the world does to do what everybody does and sometimes it's totally wrong especially in the moral areas and here we have the cure for it but the church at Pergamum was the compromising church and we have to ask ourselves am I compromising am I doing things that are not right in God's sight in order to somehow be a part of the world And these are searching questions I think preachers have to face that as well as those who aren't. And then there is this church at Thyatira. And this church went one step further.
You see, the church at Pergamon was sound theologically, but was wrong morally and compromised. But the church at Thyatira was wrong theologically. And, of course, that comes with it. I once read a book one time that proved that in America... that moral declension precedes theological declension. In other words, when you turn from the Lord into moral standards sooner or later, it affects your theology. And so that was here. And so he says to them, These things as the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire in his feet like fine brass.
In other words, here is the Lord as a judge, as a searching judge who searches out evil. I know your works. Now, this is very interesting. He commends them first for their love. You remember the Ephesian church? They were short of their first love. And similarly, he doesn't talk about their love or in Pergamon. But here, apparently, in spite of everything, they loved the Lord, at least up to a point. And... He says, your service, and apparently they were serving God. You know, it's possible for a church to be wrong theologically and still be doing some right thing.
And your faith. Apparently they had faith in some areas of doctrine that was right. And your patience. They were having trouble too, and they were patient before God. But then he goes on to say, and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you. because you've allowed the woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things offered idols. He says, I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent. Apparently there was a leading woman in the church that advocated that they should go right on in offering sacrifices to idols and in the sexual immorality that characterized the pagan religion.
Now you remember that Paul met the seller of purple from Tyre, and it's possible that a woman was responsible for getting the gospel to this church. I don't think she was Jezebel. Jezebel, of course, was a wicked woman in the Old Testament, the wife of Ahab, an outstandingly wicked person who killed people, who opposed the prophets of God, did everything he could to thwart God. And in the end, she was thrown out of her second-story window to the street and was killed in her... Scriptures record that the dogs ate her body, left practically nothing. There's a sad end for a wicked woman. But she says this woman in the church there was like Jezebel, an evil woman.
And I don't know why, but somehow an evil woman seems to be worse than an evil man. And that's the way it is here. She claimed to be a prophetess, but she didn't follow the truth. And she perverted them by calling them... encouraging them to participate in the even idols. And he promises judgments. He's going to be put in the sick bed. Sometimes people get sick because of sin. And he talks about those who commit adultery with her. He's talking to her about spiritual adultery, of course. And into great tribulation unless they repent. I'll kill our children with death. And all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the hearts and minds And I'll give to each one of you according to your works.
And so he judges this church. And he says, Now I write to you, and to the rest in Thyatira, as both do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan. And as they say, I'll put on you no other burden than this, that you hold fast what you have till I come. Now it's of interest to me that in all these churches, regardless of what was wrong, Paul didn't, or John didn't tell him, Christ didn't tell him to go out and start another church. Now, today, if you're in a church that's liberal, you can get out and get to another local church where the truth is taught.
But back in biblical days, they just had the one church in each town. And so he tells them to hold fast here, even though they're in this church, and he promises he who overcomes and keeps my works unto the end, To him I'll give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. They shall be dashed in pieces like a part of his vessel. And I also have received from his father, and I'll give him the morning star, and I take it the morning star is Christ. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. So here we have, first of all, the church that left its first love. We have the suffering church. We have Pergamon, the compromising church in morality.
And then we have satire, the church that's compromised in doctrine as well as morality, and God's dealing with it. Now in chapter three, we're introduced to the church at Sardis. And this church is different again. You know what's wrong with this church? It's dead. You ever been a church that is dead? Well, this church is dead. And to the angel of the church of Sardis writes, These things says he who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. Now the seven spirits Some believe our seven angels. Others believe it's the seven-fold Holy Spirit that's in view. And the seven stars, of course, refer to these churches. And he says, I know your works.
You have a name that you're alive. But he says, you're dead. In other words, they act like they're very alive. But actually, they're spiritually dead. He said, be watchful. Strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die. For I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember, therefore, how you're received and heard and hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you'll not watch, I'll come upon you like a thief, and you'll not know what hour I will come upon you. In other words, there's always, sooner or later, recompense for people that depart from God. But he said, you have a few names, even in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy.
It's very interesting that even in churches, that are spiritually dead. You'll find a few Christians that are still standing true to the faith. And that apparently was here. Many promises he overcome shall be clothed in white garments, that is, which represents the righteousness of the saints, and goes on to speak how they'll be not blotted out of the book of life. Now there's two different views on the book of life. Some see the book of life as contained the names of everybody. And when they pass the point where they die or can no longer be saved, Their names are blotted out. And others regard the Book of Life as where your names are inscribed when you are born again. Either way, it ends up with just the record of the saved.
And he says, your name will not be blotted out. She will be there before God. And then he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And then the church at Philadelphia, of course, was the spiritual church, the church that was walking with God. And he promises them that they'll not go through the great tribulation. which implies, I think, the pre-tribulation rapture. And he says, I'm coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, that no one will take your crown. And he promised to make them a pillar in the temple of God. That is a prominent person that upholds the work of God. And you'll go out no more. I'll write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God.
The new Jerusalem, which... comes down out of heaven from my God. And I'll write on him my new name. He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Now this, of course, represents the spiritual Christian that's walking with God. And thank God in spite of all the apostasy and the parts of it we see even in our day. There are those that are faithful, local churches and individuals that are faithful to God. But then the final church is the church of Laodicea. And this is a church that was lukewarm, you remember, that was neither hot nor cold. And God says this church is absolutely abhorrent to him. He's going to cast it out. It's talking here about people who are professing Christians that aren't born again.
The Laodiceans are very wealthy. They have the area of prosperity. They had a lot of money. They said, we have need of everything. We have in need of nothing. And he says, I counsel you to buy for me gold or find in fire. that you will be rich and rich white garments that you will be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not reveal. Anoint your eyes with isab, as you may see. A lot of eye trouble, of course, and they developed an isab in this country, this city that was used. And he tells them to apply this spiritually. Open your eyes and see how much you need what God has. He says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice, it opens the door.
I'll come to him and dine with him and him with me. I don't think this is talking about salvation. This is talking about commitment to Christ. And letting Christ really dominate and enter into your heart and life. And he promises to him who overcomes, I'll grant a sit with me in my throne. I'm also overcame and sat down with the Father on his throne. In other words, you're going to share in Christ's reign over the earth. You as an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Seven portraits. Where do we fit? Well, I hope we fit in the church of Philadelphia, or we're serving the Lord. And even though we're going through suffering, perhaps the church at Smyrna, but I hope we haven't left our first love.
We haven't compromised morally. We haven't compromised theologically. We are not dead, though we look like we have life, and we're not lukewarm. We're zealous for God and do the things that are well pleased in the head. It's amazing how these seven churches put their fingers. on the problems that face every Christian as he tries to serve the Lord. Now we're exposing a little bit earlier today because we have the prayer meeting that follows. Let's have a word of prayer. Our Father, how grateful we are for this word from Christ, this incisive word that cuts right through so much of what's wrong in the church and at the same time puts its emphasis on what is right.
We pray that the Lord help us that we may not be careless. We may not be self-sufficient. we may not fall under some of these churches that have not been true to God but that as we see our portrait in the word of God by the grace of God we will be serving the Lord and faithful to him theologically morally and separate from the wilds and the values of this world so speak to our hearts according to our needs for we ask it all in Christ's