TheSevenChurchesofRevelation–Part1

1)

Introduction:a)

Interpretiveviewsonthesevenchurches(notexclusiveorexhaustive):i)

SevenliteralchurchesinAsiaminorii)

Churchestypify(illustrate)conditionsandissuescommonintheearlychurchandthroughoutthechurchage(inadditiontoliteralchurches);Walvoord:“allchurchesatalltimesandinallplaces”iii)

ChurchesrepresentthechronologicaldevelopmentofChurchhistory(C.I.Scofield,ClarenceLarkin)b)

Questions:i)

Whythesechurches?ii)

Whynot:Rome?Antioch?Jerusalem?(post70ADperhapshadbeendestroyed!)c)

Challenges:i)

ChallengesthewaywemeasureChurchsuccessii)

Ifweviewourselvesascomponentsofthelocalbody,challengeseachtobe“therightstuff”iii)

Notethepersonal(singular)challenge:“Hewhohasanear,lethimhearwhattheSpiritsaystothechurches”(sevenfold)

TheSevenChurchesofRevelation–Part1

d)

Formula(seven“letters”orroyaledicts,eachofwhichfollowsapattern):i)

Theroyalauthordescribeshimselfintermsfromch.1.(ii)

“Iknow”introduceshisdiagnosisofthechurch’scondition,bothpositive(exceptforSardisandLaodicea)andnegative(exceptforSmyrnaandPhiladelphia)iii)

Comfortandcommandsflowfromthediagnosis.iv)

Allofthechurchesarecommandedtohearandheedalloftheletters(“whattheSpiritsaystothechurches,”2:7,etc.).v)

Ablessingispromisedto“theonewhoconquers,”(ESV)e)

Walvoord’sviewofthepattern:i)

TheCommissionii)

TheCharacteriii)

TheCommendation(noneforSardisandLaodicea)iv)

TheCondemnation(noneforSmyrnaandPhiladelphia)v)

TheCorrectionvi)

TheCallvii)

TheChallengef)

Mychart(availableonline):i)

Commission:“Totheangelofthechurchof______write…”ii)

Christology:Eg:“HewhoholdsthesevenstarsinHisrighthand,whowalksinthemidstofthesevengoldenlampstands”iii)

Commendation:Eg.“Iknowyourworks,yourlabor,yourpatience”iv)

Condemnation:Eg,“youhaveleftyourfirstlove”v)

Exhortation:Eg.“Rememberthereforefromwhereyouhavefallen;repentanddothefirstworks”vi)

Call:Eg.”

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

Challenge:eg.“TohimwhoovercomesIwillgivetoeatfromthetreeoflife”g)

FourChurchestoconsideredthismorning

TheSevenChurchesofRevelation–Part1

1)

Ephesus:TheOrthodox,butlove-lostChurch(2:1-7)a)

AboutEphesus:i)

PerhapsthelargestcityinAsiaminoratthetimeii)

FeaturedprominentlyinActs(19)iii)

SomewhatofamodelchurchdeducedfromtheepistleEphesusCommissionTotheangelofthechurchofEphesuswriteChristologicalThesethingssaysHewhoholdsthesevenstarsinHisrighthand,whowalksinthemidstofthesevengoldenlampstandsCommendationIknowyourworks,yourlabor,yourpatience,andthatyoucannotbearthosewhoareevil.Andyouhavetestedthosewhosaytheyareapostlesandarenot,andhavefoundthemliars;andyouhaveperseveredandhavepatience,andhavelaboredforMyname’ssakeandhavenotbecomeweary....Butthisyouhave,thatyouhatethedeedsoftheNicolaitans,whichIalsohateCondemnationNeverthelessIhavethisagainstyou,thatyouhaveleftyourfirstloveExhortationRememberthereforefromwhereyouhavefallen;repentanddothefirstworks,orelseIwillcometoyouquicklyandremoveyourlampstandfromitsplace—unlessyourepent.CallHewhohasanear,lethimhearwhattheSpiritsaystothechurches.b)

Theproblem:alackofdevotiontoChristc)

DangersoffadingpassionforChrist:i)

1Timothy6:10,“Fortheloveofmoneyisarootofall

kindsof

evil,forwhichsomehavestrayedfromthefaithintheirgreediness,andpiercedthemselvesthroughwithmanysorrows”ii)

1John2:15,“Donotlovetheworldorthethingsintheworld.Ifanyonelovestheworld,theloveoftheFatherisnotinhim”iii)

1John5:21,“Littlechildren,keepyourselvesfromidols.Amen.”d)

Nicolaitans:Unknownsecti)

ContrastPergamos:Revelation2:14-16ii)

RelatedtoNicolas(oneofthefirstdeacons)?iii)

Isthenameitselfmeaningful?“toconquertopeople”?(Riseofclergyclass)e)

Calleduponto“remember”…“repent”….“do”f)