In the last two parts of this devotional, we will be breaking down the seven messages Jesus gave to the seven churches into their parts. When we do this, we can more easily see overarching patterns that communicate the heart of the exalted Christ. I believe that we can greatly benefit from understanding the essence of His messages to the churches.
The first component is Jesus’ introduction of Himself. The italicized part at the beginning is in all seven messages, and the “cf.” refers to where the truth of that statement can also be found in Revelation 1:
THE EXALTED CHRIST’S INTRODUCTIONS
To the angel of the church in . . .
Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands (2:1; cf. 1:12-13, 16).
Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life (2:8; cf. 1:17-18, 4, 8).
Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword (2:12; cf. 1:16).
Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze (2:18; cf. 1:14, 15).
Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars (3:1; cf. 1:4).
Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens (3:7; cf. 1:18).
Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation (3:14; cf. 1:5).
I won’t go over these again, since I went over them when we covered Revelation 1. I will say that Jesus’ words both show Jesus’ relationship to His church, and His exalted holiness and power. Each church had an aspect of Christ applied to their situation, showing His tender care and love, even in His exalted state.
After introducing Himself, it is revealing that the first thing He mentioned was what He knew of each church’s works. The condition of their obedience to Him is Christ’s focus in each message to the churches. Just as the Bible teaches that God pays attention to the condition of the heart (1 Sam. 16:7), so He judges based on the outworking of our hearts (Luke 6:45). Our works reveal the state and place of our hearts: whether we are growing in singular loyalty to Christ or not. Notice Christ’s strong focus on the faithfulness of each of the churches:
THE EXALTED CHRIST’S COMMENDATIONS AND CRITICISMS
I know . . .
Commendation: (Ephesus) “‘your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. . . . this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate’” (2:2-3, 6).
Commendation: (Smyrna) “‘your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan’” (2:9).
Commendation: (Pergamum) “‘where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells’” (2:13).
Commendation: (Thyatira) “‘your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first’” (2:19).
Criticism (no commendation): (Sardis) “‘your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead’” (3:1).
Commendation: (Philadelphia) “‘your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name’” (3:8).
Criticism (no commendation): (Laodicea) “‘your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot’” (3:15)!
Five churches received commendations for their obedience to Christ, and two received no commendation. Notice the intimacy in which Christ pays attention to all of our works—the outflowing of our hearts—whether it be good or evil. This is, in fact, what Jesus’ messages center around. For those who did not exhibit singular faithfulness to Christ in their obedience, Christ had warnings given that were designed to lead them back to repentance and full fellowship with Him. Five churches needed warnings, while two were regarded as faithful in everything. Faithfulness is possible, and it is what every church should collectively strive for. When you read Jesus’ warnings, notice the focus on loving God through obeying Christ from our whole hearts:
THE EXALTED CHRIST’S WARNINGS
(Ephesus) 4 “‘But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent’” (2:4-5).
Smyrna received no warning.
(Pergamum) 14 “‘But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth’” (2:14-16).
(Thyatira) 20 “‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come’” (2:20-25).
(Sardis) 2 “‘Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you’” (3:2-3).
Philadelphia was just told, “‘Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown’” (3:11b).
(Laodicea) 16 “‘So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me’” (3:16-20).
Jesus truly loves his churches, and so he lovingly rebuked, commanded, and exhorted them to obey Him with all their heart. He desires for them to remain with Him forever. I am convinced that, in these warnings and commendations, we find the typical states that the church at large is given towards. Each of the seven church’s situation is unique, and has a broad range of application for us today. We have, for instance, a theologically-correct church that has forgotten its first love (Ephesus), the faithful persecuted church (Smyrna), the internally compromised church (Pergamum), the externally compromised church (Thyatira), the seemingly vibrant but actually near-dead church (Sardis), the small but divinely preserved and effective church (Philadelphia), and the double-allegiances church (Laodicea). I believe that if we are careful to heed these messages from Christ, we could avoid many of the pitfalls that came about on those churches.
Next time, we will be looking at the last three components to Christ’s messages to the churches.