• Home
  • Issues
  • Articles
    • Alan Day
    • Alan Stewart
    • Ed Litton
    • Gary Miller
    • Keith Drury
    • Michael Catt
    • Stephanie Bennett
    • Vance Havner
    • Warren Wiersbe
  • Quotes
  • Sermon Outlines
  • Podcasts
  • More
    • Book Reviews
    • Calendar
    • Odds n Ends
    • Web Resources

Calendar

June 2023
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« Jul    

Archives

  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019

Categories

  • Alan Day
  • Alan Stewart
  • Articles
  • Book Reviews
  • Calendar
  • Ed Litton
  • Gary Miller
  • Issues
  • Keith Drury
  • Michael Catt
  • Odds-n-Ends
  • Podcasts
  • Quotes
  • Sermon Outlines
  • Stephanie Bennett
  • Uncategorized
  • Vance Havner
  • Volume 01 | Issue 01
  • Volume 01 | Issue 02
  • Volume 01 | Issue 03
  • Volume 01 | Issue 04
  • Volume 01 | Issue 05
  • Volume 01 | Issue 06
  • Volume 01 | Issue 07
  • Volume 01 | Issue 08
  • Volume 01 | Issue 09
  • Volume 01 | Issue 10
  • Volume 01 | Issue 11
  • Volume 01 | Issue 12
  • Volume 01 | Issue 13
  • Volume 01 | Issue 14
  • Volume 02 | Issue 01
  • Volume 02 | Issue 02
  • Volume 02 | Issue 03
  • Volume 02 | Issue 04
  • Volume 02 | Issue 05
  • Volume 02 | Issue 06
  • Volume 02 | Issue 07
  • Volume 02 | Issue 08
  • Volume 02 | Issue 09
  • Volume 02 | Issue 10
  • Volume 02 | Issue 11
  • Volume 02 | Issue 12
  • Volume 02 | Issue 13
  • Volume 02 | Issue 14
  • Volume 02 | Issue 15
  • Volume 02 | Issue 16
  • Volume 02 | Issue 17
  • Volume 02 | Issue 18
  • Volume 02 | Issue 19
  • Volume 02 | Issue 20
  • Volume 02 | Issue 21
  • Volume 02 | Issue 22
  • Volume 02 | Issue 23
  • Volume 02 | Issue 24
  • Volume 02 | Issue 25
  • Volume 03 | Issue 01
  • Volume 03 | Issue 02
  • Volume 03 | Issue 03
  • Volume 03 | Issue 04
  • Volume 03 | Issue 05
  • Volume 03 | Issue 06
  • Volume 03 | Issue 07
  • Volume 03 | Issue 08
  • Volume 03 | Issue 09
  • Volume 03 | Issue 10
  • Volume 03 | Issue 11
  • Volume 03 | Issue 12
  • Volume 03 | Issue 13
  • Volume 03 | Issue 14
  • Volume 03 | Issue 15
  • Volume 03 | Issue 16
  • Volume 03 | Issue 17
  • Volume 03 | Issue 18
  • Volume 03 | Issue 19
  • Volume 03 | Issue 20
  • Volume 03 | Issue 21
  • Volume 03 | Issue 22
  • Volume 03 | Issue 23
  • Volume 03 | Issue 24
  • Volume 04 | Issue 01
  • Volume 04 | Issue 02
  • Volume 04 | Issue 03
  • Volume 04 | Issue 04
  • Volume 04 | Issue 05
  • Volume 04 | Issue 06
  • Volume 04 | Issue 07
  • Volume 04 | Issue 08
  • Volume 04 | Issue 09
  • Volume 04 | Issue 10
  • Volume 04 | Issue 11
  • Volume 04 | Issue 12
  • Volume 04 | Issue 13
  • Volume 05 | Issue 01
  • Volume 05 | Issue 02
  • Volume 05 | Issue 03
  • Volume 05 | Issue 04
  • Volume 05 | Issue 05
  • Volume 05 | Issue 06
  • Volume 05 | Issue 07
  • Volume 05 | Issue 08
  • Volume 05 | Issue 09
  • Volume 05 | Issue 10
  • Volume 05 | Issue 11
  • Volume 05 | Issue 12
  • Volume 05 | Issue 13
  • Volume 05 | Issue 14
  • Volume 06 | Issue 01
  • Volume 06 | Issue 02
  • Volume 06 | Issue 03
  • Volume 06 | Issue 04
  • Volume 06 | Issue 05
  • Volume 06 | Issue 06
  • Volume 06 | Issue 07
  • Volume 06 | Issue 08
  • Volume 06 | Issue 09
  • Volume 06 | Issue 10
  • Volume 06 | Issue 11
  • Volume 06 | Issue 12
  • Volume 06 | Issue 13
  • Volume 06 | Issue 14
  • Volume 06 | Issue 15
  • Volume 07 | Issue 01
  • Volume 07 | Issue 02
  • Volume 07 | Issue 03
  • Volume 07 | Issue 04
  • Volume 07 | Issue 05
  • Volume 07 | Issue 06
  • Volume 07 | Issue 07
  • Volume 07 | Issue 08
  • Volume 07 | Issue 09
  • Volume 07 | Issue 10
  • Volume 07 | Issue 11
  • Volume 07 | Issue 12
  • Volume 07 | Issue 13
  • Volume 07 | Issue 14
  • Volume 07 | Issue 15
  • Volume 07 | Issue 16
  • Volume 07 | Issue 17
  • Volume 07 | Issue 18
  • Volume 07 | Issue 19
  • Volume 07 | Issue 20
  • Volume 07 | Issue 21
  • Volume 07 | Issue 22
  • Volume 07 | Issue 23
  • Volume 08 | Issue 01
  • Volume 08 | Issue 02
  • Volume 08 | Issue 03
  • Volume 08 | Issue 04
  • Volume 08 | Issue 05
  • Volume 08 | Issue 06
  • Volume 08 | Issue 07
  • Volume 08 | Issue 08
  • Volume 08 | Issue 09
  • Volume 08 | Issue 10
  • Volume 08 | Issue 11
  • Volume 08 | Issue 12
  • Volume 08 | Issue 13
  • Volume 08 | Issue 14
  • Volume 08 | Issue 15
  • Volume 08 | Issue 16
  • Volume 08 | Issue 17
  • Volume 08 | Issue 18
  • Volume 09 | Issue 01
  • Volume 09 | Issue 02
  • Volume 09 | Issue 03
  • Volume 09 | Issue 04
  • Volume 09 | Issue 05
  • Volume 09 | Issue 06
  • Volume 09 | Issue 07
  • Volume 10 | Issue 01
  • Volume 10 | Issue 02
  • Volume 10 | Issue 03
  • Volume 10 | Issue 04
  • Volume 10 | Issue 05
  • Volume 11 | Issue 01
  • Volume 11 | Issue 02
  • Volume 11 | Issue 03
  • Volume 11 | Issue 04
  • Volume 11 | Issue 05
  • Volume 11 | Issue 06
  • Volume 11 | Issue 07
  • Volume 11 | Issue 08
  • Volume 11 | Issue 09
  • Volume 11 | Issue 10
  • Volume 11 | Issue 11
  • Volume 11 | Issue 12
  • Volume 11 | Issue 13
  • Volume 11 | Issue 14
  • Volume 11 | Issue 15
  • Volume 11 | Issue 16
  • Volume 12 | Issue 01
  • Volume 12 | Issue 02
  • Volume 12 | Issue 03
  • Volume 12 | Issue 04
  • Volume 12 | Issue 05
  • Volume 12 | Issue 06
  • Volume 12 | Issue 07
  • Volume 12 | Issue 08
  • Volume 12 | Issue 09
  • Volume 12 | Issue 10
  • Volume 12 | Issue 11
  • Volume 12 | Issue 12
  • Volume 13 | Issue 01
  • Volume 13 | Issue 02
  • Volume 13 | Issue 03
  • Volume 13 | Issue 04
  • Volume 13 | Issue 05
  • Volume 13 | Issue 06
  • Volume 13 | Issue 07
  • Volume 13 | Issue 08
  • Volume 13 | Issue 09
  • Volume 13 | Issue 10
  • Volume 13 | Issue 11
  • Volume 13 | Issue 12
  • Volume 13 | Issue 13
  • Volume 13 | Issue 14
  • Volume 13 | Issue 15
  • Volume 13 | Issue 16
  • Volume 14 | Issue 01
  • Volume 14 | Issue 02
  • Volume 14 | Issue 03
  • Volume 14 | Issue 04
  • Volume 14 | Issue 05
  • Volume 14 | Issue 06
  • Volume 14 | Issue 07
  • Volume 14 | Issue 08
  • Warren Wiersbe
  • Web Resources
2ProphetU
  • Home
  • Issues
  • Articles
    • Alan Day
    • Alan Stewart
    • Ed Litton
    • Gary Miller
    • Keith Drury
    • Michael Catt
    • Stephanie Bennett
    • Vance Havner
    • Warren Wiersbe
  • Quotes
  • Sermon Outlines
  • Podcasts
  • More
    • Book Reviews
    • Calendar
    • Odds n Ends
    • Web Resources
Sermon Outlines . Volume 04 | Issue 01

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Repent
  3. 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

2ProphetU is an online magazine/website, started by Warren Wiersbe and Michael Catt, to build up the church, seek revival, and encourage pastors.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Print

Read An Article

  • A Step at a Time
  • Hard Words to Swallow Lead to Revival (Part 1)
  • Day and Night

RSS Warren Wiersbe Podcast

  • Christ in the Old Testament - Too Good to be True (Isaiah 53)
  • The Master's Mandates: Taking His Place (John 20:19-23)
  • The Master's Mandates: An Effective Witness (Luke 24:36-53, Acts 1:4-8)
  • The Master's Mandates: He Works With Us (Mark 16:14-20)

RSS Sherwood Baptist Podcast

  • Mentoring and Womanhood
  • The Beauty of Motherhood
  • Discernment and God's Will
  • Redemption and Spiritual Life

MICHAEL CATT MESSAGES

Verse

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.
John 6:51

Quotes On

  • Hypocrisy

Search

Links

Michael Catt

Vance Havner

Ron Dunn

Sherwood Church

Copyright 2ProphetU 2021. All righrts reserved.