"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 2:7a
Introduction:
The Holy Spirit is a Member of the Trinity who is equal in essence to the Father and the Son. Yet, here in the Book of Revelation, when He speaks it is the voice of Christ that we hear (Cf. John16:13-14). From this, we can conclude that Christ speaks to His people through His Spirit; who was given to Christ, in the economy of redemption, as His personal property (2Cor.3:17). The Word of God authenticates the Word of the Spirit.
In the second and third chapters of Revelation, we discover the Spirit saying some radical and tremendous things to the church. Through the haze of modern methods, the clash of ecclesiastical debate, and even through the problems of apathy and the self-centeredness of our own hearts, He speaks! A powerful note keeps beating and reverberating to those who have ears to hear.
John wrote to seven churches in Asia, not because there were only seven (there were actually far more), and not because these seven were in the same geographical location, but because seven is the perfect number. Therefore, in writing to these seven, he writes to all; to the universal church scattered everywhere across the world, in every age and place. We are a part of this church; therefore, he writes to you and me.
Each of these letters has one distinctive note, a single message, or challenge, which sums up the main message. One of the ways that we can discover what the Spirit is saying to the church is to listen to these different notes for they will tell us what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church now.
Outline:
The first church is the church at Ephesus. What does the Spirit say to the church at Ephesus? The keynote that the Spirit strikes is "repent."
"Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first" (Rev.2:5a).
James Stewart has said, "We are the Church of four historical acts: the church of the incarnation, of the cross, of the resurrection and of Pentecost. Can we measure up to any of these descriptions of the church without penitence and contrition?"1
What I believe he means is that as we consider each of these acts, there is a practical lesson that we can learn that will help us to examine ourselves in light of what we really are to be as Christians. Take for example:
- The incarnation - the Word made flesh. When we consider the incarnation of Christ, we must ask ourselves these questions: Have we become incarnational in our ministry? Have we forsaken the comfortable safety of our fully furnished homes to step into the world of those, who frankly, are embarrassing? Have we given ourselves away that others might find life? If not, we must repent!
- The cross - not the glorious, beautiful cross of the stained glass in a Catholic Church, but the ugly, bloody, and painful cross of Jesus. Let me remind you that the Cross of Jesus, in the context of the New Testament, really means unimportant, failure, and the lowest of the low. The question we must then ask ourselves is: Have we become so caught up in our own importance and security that we have despised the cross that brought us life? If so, the Spirit says, "Repent!"
- The resurrection - this is the greatest and happiest news ever to enter the ears of men; the breaking in of supernatural power into the world to operate in the lives of men! No wonder the cry of the redeemed throughout the ages has been "He is risen!" Yet, is this the note of triumph and victory that we take to the streets, or are we hiding this light under a can or shielding its rays beneath our routine? If so, the Spirit says, "Repent!"
- Pentecost - is an event that must always be seen, first and foremost, as the continuation of Christ's work in the unfolding plan of redemption. Here we have the Spirit coming as evidence of the enthronement of Christ and we see a unity of heart and faith in the church that the world has never seen before, but are we divided? God summons us to preach reconciliation, yet are we divided ourselves? If not, are we seeking to be a part of the solution? Either way, the Spirit says, "Repent."
The second church is Smyrna. What does the Spirit say to the church at Smyrna? The Spirit says, "Realize your riches."
"I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)" (Rev. 2:9a).
- The keynote struck here is unbelief. We do not really believe that Christ is He "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col.2:3). In our high-tech world, we have lost the concept of the heart-pounding discovery of untold treasures of wealth that the world has never seen. Yet, this is what we have in Christ! It is "the life of God in the soul of man," as Scougal2 puts it; this is what the Vine and the branches teach us, but do we believe it? Here we are with the deposit of eternal life in the midst of time, and the Spirit of God as the first installment of the Kingdom, and yet we live as paupers not princes, slaves not sons, strangers not friends, beggars not heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ! This is the word for the church at Smyrna - "Realize your riches."
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
The third church is Pergamos. What does the Spirit say to the church at Pergamos? The Spirit says, "Stand for freedom!" He says in essence, "Resist popular culture and the pressure of false teaching."
- The keynote struck here is compromise. These believers lived where "Satan dwells," which is a reference to the Caesar worship of the imperial cult at Pergamos. Satan himself was behind this militant pressure to bow the knee. However, this is the very place where God started a church and intended for them to stand for freedom-not the freedom that we claim to possess here in the U.S.-but the freedom that comes from embracing the life giving truth of the gospel and being made free by the Son of God (John8:36).
This is the word for the church at Pergamos-"Stand for freedom" and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (Cf. Gal.5:1).
- Are you enjoying the liberty of sonship (Gal.4:7)?
- Are you experiencing the liberty of truth (John8:32)?
- Are you embracing the liberty of approaching God in worship (Heb.10:19)?
- Are you employing your gifts in the liberty of service (Gal.5:13)?
To the degree that you are not enjoying or embracing these areas, is the degree that you are still living in bondage to that which you have been freed from. Is this the word for you?
The fourth church is Thyatira. What does the Spirit say to the church at Thyatira? The Spirit says, "Hold fast."
"Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come" (Rev.2:25).
- The high note struck here is Christian tenacity. This is the essential ingredient of discipleship. How often do we find ourselves like Christian, from Pilgrim's Progress, being met by challenges like Timorous, Mistrust and Mr. Pliable, who all come to us shouting, "Go back, man, go back! There are lions in the path!"3 One of the greatest dangers that we face daily is losing heart in following King Jesus (Cf. Heb.12:1-3). The Galatians faced this problem as they had begun in the Spirit, but were ending in the flesh (Gal.3:1-3), which means that they started with devotion, but they were ending with drudgery. This is a risk that all of us are exposed to. The reason many do not hold fast is that they seek to live the Christian life in their own strength instead of abiding in Christ who said, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John15:5). Oh, how we must remember that holding fast is not a matter of marshalling our own resources, but accepting and receiving God's gift. It is through Spirit-prompted prayer and obedience that we are made recipients of a totally new and unending source of power every day! This is the secret of serving Christ and holding fast. This is the word for the church at Thyatira - "Hold fast!"
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Is this the word for you?
The fifth church is Sardis. What does the Spirit say to the church at Sardis? The Spirit says, "Beware of nominal Christianity."
"You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead" (Rev.3:1b).
Do you have all of the markings of religion, all of the lingo, the outward show, and the organization, but you lack that spark, that life, and the dynamic tension that marks the life of a fruitful and productive Christian?
This was the problem at Sardis and the same is true with many who are examining this material now. There is no spiritual vitality in your life! Yet, it was different for the early church. Whenever the Roman Empire sought to put out its fire, another started somewhere else. By the time they tried to put one out, another would break loose and shock those who touched it, but at Sardis it was different. They had the name, but not the luster-the bark, but not the bite. Something happened. They took the name of being a Christian too lightly and treated Christianity like a university course, rather than a life to embrace from the inside out; as a result, they become dull, complacent, and lifeless. The antidote - "Remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent" (Rev.3:3a).
The cure for nominal Christianity is to refuse to reduce the faith into a code of ethics, a list of do's and don'ts, into church attendance, or activities, but to remember that it is really about the very life of Christ in you, which is the hope of glory (Col.1:27ff). Never lose sight of the object of your faith, which is Jesus Christ Himself!
This is the word for the church at Sardis-"Beware of nominal Christianity." Is this the word for you?
The sixth church is Philadelphia. What does the Spirit say to the church at Philadelphia? The Spirit says, "Evangelize!"
"Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut" (Rev.3:8a).
The open door was the geographic position of Philadelphia, which stood at the head of the valley through which the great route from the western sea climbed to the central Asian plateau. Philadelphia was the open door towards the cosmopolitan cities and commerce of the Orient. Philadelphia was the gateway. Now the Spirit says to them in essence, "Go, this is your mission and your vocation." Which means our call is not to go into the world and get cozy with it, or to appear on the scene offering a new morality for a circle of like-minded people. I am discovering that at the heart of evangelism are a message and a sinner who deeply feels the personal responsibility and concern, to make real to all men, the reconciliation and forgiveness of God found in Christ.
William Temple once said, "The Church exists primarily for those who never go near it."4 The call of Israel to the nations was to "Come and see," but the commission of the church is to "Go and tell." The question is: Are you and I content to leave millions of people in the dark; who have never heard? We are to go, as the writer of Hebrews said of Jesus, "outside the camp, bearing His reproach" (Heb.13:13). Are we raising barriers and standing aloof from the people who need the gospel the most? This is not evangelism or being a witness, IT IS A SPIRITUAL CRIME. Evangelism involves a reconciled, forgiven people, not simply preaching, but preaching, living, and offering, to all men, the undesired and undeserved grace of God.
This is the word for the church at Philadelphia.
"He who has ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Is it the word for you?
Finally, the seventh church is Laodicea. What does the Spirit say to the church at Laodicea? The Spirit says, "Warm your faith at the fire of Jesus Christ."
We all know that Jesus gives some scathing words for this tepid and lukewarm church. However, the opposition of the world and the enemy of our souls use far greater language. The reason that lukewarm Christianity is nauseating to Christ is that it is a poor and misleading advertisement of what His power and love has done for us and to us! Do you not agree that much of our lives are like a withering tree with very little fruit, or perhaps as a dark sky with no stars shining in it? We have all of the raw materials for God to do a mighty work in this world, but we need the One who walks among the golden lampstands to make our cold hearts burn with fire!
The word for the church at Laodicea is "Warm your faith at the fire of Jesus Christ."
Father, forgive the cold love of the years
As here in the silence we bow;
Perish our cowardice, perish our fears,
Kindle us, kindle us now.Lord, we accept, we believe, we adore,
Less than the least though we be;
Fire of love, burn in us, burn evermore
Till we burn out for Thee.
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Is this the word for you?
Application:
Review the seven keynotes of the Spirit's word to the church. Identify which note struck the loudest cord in your heart.
- Ephesus. The Spirit says, "Repent."
- Smyrna. The Spirit says, "Realize your riches."
- Pergamos. The Spirit says, "Stand for freedom!"
- Thyatira. The Spirit says, "Hold fast."
- Sardis. The Spirit says, "Beware of nominal Christianity."
- Philadelphia. The Spirit says, "Evangelize!"
- Laodicea. The Spirit says, "Warm your faith at the fire of Jesus Christ."
Let's make sure we are clear about application. Application means to knit or join something to you in such a way as to change the way you think, feel, and act. We must prove ourselves to be "doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James1:22). Don't fall under the self-deception of thinking that your godliness is determined by the quality of hearing sermons or Bible studies, instead of by action and obedience. Jesus seriously warns us to avoid this danger (Cf. Matt.7:21-27).
Notes