Continuing The Revelation of Jesus Christ Series
By Michael Catt
Revelation 2:1-7
The Letters To The Seven Churches Background and Introductory Material
Among the four basic approaches (Historical, Preterist, Futurist, and Idealist) the interpretation of these 7 letters is not an area of great controversy or debate. With one exception:
- The Preterist, Spiritual, and many Futurists believe the letters to be addressed to actual, historical, 1st century churches – and to any church under similar circumstances. These schools of thought seek no hidden meaning.
- The Historical school and some Futurists believe that these churches parallel successive periods of church history. They believe in Chapters 2 and 3 you find a panorama of the Church Age. The breakdown would be as follows:
Ephesus -Days of the Apostles until A.D. 100
Smyrna -A.D. 100 – 313 – the Ten Persecutions of the Roman Emperors (“ten days”).
Pergamos -From Constantine’s Edict of Tolerance (313) until the rise of the papacy (around 500). A time when the church was compromised.
Thyatira -From the establishment of the papacy until the Reformation (500-1500).
Sardis -The time of the Reformation itself (1500-1700).
Philadelphia -The time of great missionary outreach (1700 – until the present day).
Laodicea -Liberal churches.
Some arbitrarily divide the churches according to the church age. Yet, each of these churches existed in the first century. Each type can be found today, nearly 2000 years later. To insist that they fit into a system or time line can lead the reader to miss the point of the message when it was originally delivered. Any letter in Scripture must be read with a primary thought in mind, “What did it mean to the original recipients?” Then, and only then, do we make application to our time.
To view these letters in any other light could lead to a lack of self-examination in the here and now. The first century church knew nothing of systems, charts, or the Church Age. The letter was written to reveal the test results of our Lord’s examination of the church some 60 years after His ascension.
It’s important to remember the beginnings. Paul, Timothy, Apollos, and John each held a significant role in the church at Ephesus. From Ephesus, the gospel spread throughout Asia Minor. As you trace the spread of the church in Acts, you find that Paul went to major cities with the gospel. Once these cities were impacted with the gospel message, it began to spread to the towns and villages.
Paul wrote letters to seven churches. Jesus sent letters to seven churches. Each letter, those by Paul and these from the Lord Jesus were written to specific churches with specific problems. While they may illustrate a time line of church history, I don’t believe that was the original purpose or intent. As we study these letters, we need to ask the Spirit to speak to our hearts. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Each church is identified individually and given a direct message from Jesus Christ.
- He judges the CHURCH first.
- God expects SINNERS to act like sinners, but He wants the SAINTS to act like saints.
I. The Church In The City. 2:1
Will Durant – At the center and summit of each Greek city was the shrine of the city god. Participation in the worship of god was the sign, the privilege, and the requisite for citizenship.
“Ephesus” –
II. The Characteristic Of The Writer.
“in the middle of the lampstands, I saw one like the son of man…” 1:13 –
“seven stars” 2:1 –
“holds” –
“walks among” –
III. The Compliment From The Lord. v. 2, 3
A. They were hard working, committed people.
“toil” –
“perseverance” –
B. They had good theology.
We’ve substituted sociology and psychology for theology in the late 20th century church. We would rather people feel good about themselves than be right about God.
C. The church had a never say die attitude.
They had everything, but THE MAIN THING.
IV. The Confrontation By The Lord Of The Church. v. 4
“You have left your first love” –
-The sin of Israel, God’s chosen, covenant people.
-The sin of the church, God’s elect bride.
Christ is more concerned about WHO WE ARE, than WHAT WE DO.
Ray Stedman – Church after church where congregations continue to meet, sermons continue to be preached, hymns continue to be sung, good works continue to be done – and yet there is no impact, no fire, no light. The lampstand has been removed. The community which surrounds such a church goes on about its business, blithely ignoring whatever is said and done within that quaint little building with the cross on the roof. That church has become irrelevant. So has its message. Its light has failed.
-LABOR is no substitute for love.
Vance Havner – I have wondered what would be left if we eliminated from our church work all that is not the spontaneous expression of our heart’s love for Christ. Deacons and Sunday School teachers and choir singers should ask themselves, “Why do I do what I do in church” Because I ought to do it, because somebody has to do it, because I was chosen to do it? If the love of Christ is not our compelling motive, God will not accept our service.”
V. The Command Of The Lord Of The Church. v.
It was a threefold command:
- Remember
Matthew 13:9 – we are commanded to hear.
Mark 4:24 – we are to consider WHAT we’ve heard. We are judged, not just by what we hear, but by what we would have heard if we had been listening.
Luke 8:18 – we are to take care HOW we listen. - Repent
- Repeat
VI. The Commitment Of The Lord Of The Church. v. 7
Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? I John 5:5
“eat of the Tree of Life” – Paradise lost is paradise regained.
- God didn’t call me to be adequate, He has called and commanded me to abide.
- OVERCOMERS ARE OBEDIENT – they obey Jesus as Lord.
“FIRST LOVE”
Take me back to first love. To the place where I once was.
Where my passion was just obeying,
And prayer was sweet, the sweetest thing I knew.
Everything was possible with you.
Take me to the place of my first love with you.
Take me back to first love. To the place where I once was.
I could hear you, oh so clearly, and holiness was all I desired.
Wanting nothing less than being like Jesus.
My cry is take me to first love with You.
My heart was free from wanting to be seen.
Just wanting only your anointing.
They say you rise as you get older, all I know is I’ve grown colder.
Take me back to first love. To the place where I once was.
Where my passion was just obeying,
And prayer was sweet, the sweetest thing I knew.
Everything was possible with you.
Take me to the place of my first love with you.
2ProphetU is an online magazine/website, started by Warren Wiersbe and Michael Catt, to build up the church, seek revival, and encourage pastors.
