DAY NINETY-SEVEN:
Messages to the Churches
Yesterday John related the vision of the glorified Christ, a sight so awesome that he fainted dead away! But Jesus picked him up and told him not to be afraid. John was about to get an inside look at the Kingdom of God, both in heaven and on earth. But first, Jesus has a job for him. John is to write down the messages that Jesus had for the seven churches of Asia. John settled in Ephesus and apparently didn't travel around as Paul did. He had a special concern for these seven churches. He had visited them all and knew their situations. Jesus addressed each church, and we have the privilege of reading what He said. Let's look at the general structure of each letter as we examine the first.
- "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:..." As we saw yesterday the word for angel, aggelos, means messenger. In this context it probably refers to the pastor of each church as the messenger of the Gospel. If Jesus wanted to speak to the angels in heaven all He would have to do is call them. Each letter begins with addressing the angel/pastor.
- "The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands." Jesus identified Himself with part of the description we read in chapter 1.
- "I know 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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 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. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." This is the body of the letter. Jesus commends the churches for their strengths and calls them to account for where they fall short. The Ephesians were discerning, recognizing and rejecting false teachers, especially the Nicolaitans. We'll see their name again in these letters. The Nicolaitans fell into the trap of Gnosticism, a mixture of Greek philosophy and eastern religions. They lived immoral lives because they believed that the Law had been completely abolished. But Jesus has also seen something disturbing in Ephesus. They had left their first love! They got so wrapped up in doing the right thing that they forgot the very reason for what they did. They were Marthas, working away and serving, while Jesus wanted them to be more like Mary also and sit at His feet. We can fall into this trap so easily! Jesus warned them of how serious this is and told them to repent.
- "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." Jesus concluded each letter with a call to pay attention and the offer of a reward for overcoming their trials and remaining faithful to the end. The word overcome, nikao, means to conquer, to vanquish a foe. The Nike shoes take their name from this word. Those who overcome will get to eat the fruit of the tree of life, the one that God took away from Adam and Eve after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We'll see the tree of life again at the end of the book.
That's the general outline of the letters. Let's look briefly at the remaining six letters.
Next Jesus wrote to the church at Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). "I know 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. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." The word for tribulation is the same word for pressing grapes to make wine. The believers in Smyrna were being crushed by their opponents, with the local Jewish community in the forefront. The early Christians were the subject of slanderous rumors. They were accused of cannibalism because they partook of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper. They were accused of holding orgies, because that's what the pagans around them thought a Love Feast was. They will suffer severe persecution for "ten days." We don't know for sure what that means. But this is a definite period, with an ending. God is in control! Those who remain faithful unto death will receive the crown of life. The word here is stephanos, the victor's crown, given to the winner of a race. This is the crown of victory that marks those who overcome all that the world throws at them. Jesus promised that the "second death," which we'll look at on Thursday, won't harm those who overcome in His name.
Now on to Pergamum. They live "where Satan't throne is." On top of the highest hill overlooking the city was the Temple of Zeus, the king of the gods. A giant chair sat in front of the temple, Zeus' throne. The church at Pergamum existed in an area where the worship of the ancient Greek gods was alive and well. Nearly everywhere else in the Roman Empire they old gods were starting to fade from peoples' lives. Not in Pergamum! They strove to keep the purity of the old traditions alive, and the Christians threatened to destroy all they held dear with their belief in just one God. But all was not well in this church. Some held to the teaching of Balaam, the prophet whose donkey spoke to him. When he couldn't take the Moabite King Balak's money because God wouldn't allow the prophet to curse His people, Balaam found a way to get his pay. He encouraged the king to lure Israel into immorality and the worship of his gods at Peor. Balaam's error came from his greed and his unrestrained fleshly desires. There were also a few Nicolaitans there, who no doubt partied hardy. Jesus warned them to repent. Jesus offered those who overcome some of the manna, the bread from heaven that fed Israel for forty years in the wilderness. He will also give them a white stone with a new name, given by God.
Now on to Thyatira. This was the home town of Lydia, the woman who showed hospitality to Paul when he came to Philippi. But there's trouble in River City! A woman whom Jesus called Jezebel has taken over the church. Jezebel, you'll remember, was the wife of King Ahab. She was the daughter of the King of Sidon and an ardent worshipper of Baal and his female counterpart Asherah. She provoked her husband to a new depth of evil for the northern kingdom. In addition to building temples for Baal and persecuting the Lord's followers, she had Naboth killed so that her husband could take over his vineyard next to the palace. So to call someone a Jezebel links her with this woman's evil. Jesus said that He gave her time to repent, but she had not. He will throw her and her adulterous lovers onto a sickbed if they don't repent. There will be physical consequences for their sins. To the rest, who had kept away from this Jezebel and her false teachings, Jesus told to carry on. They were doing well. If they overcome they will rule the world with Jesus.
Let's visit the church in Sardis. This was the capital city of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia, ruled by the legendary King Croesus ("as rich as Croesus"). Some of that faded glory was still to be seen at the end of the first century, some 500 years after Croesus. Jesus said that the church at Sardis had a good reputation, built on the service and sacrifice of those who went before them. But Jesus knows that the church at present is dead! He told them to wake up before it's too late. Revive that flame that's about to go out. If you do, Jesus said, a white robe awaits, and Jesus will honor them before His angels.
Now to Philadelphia. The name means "brotherly love." William Penn chose this name for the city he built, expressing his hope that the message of brotherly love in Christ would prevail in the City of Philadelphia. This church appears to have been small, and they thought that they could accomplish little in that center of Greek culture and religion. But Jesus said that He put before them an open door that no one could close! They will be able to work and witness despite the opposition of the local Jewish community and the Roman officials. Jesus said that He would mercifully preserve them from the severe persecution going on around them. He told them to hang onto their crowns, that is, the victory they had already won through faith in Christ. If they hang in there to the end Jesus said He would make them into pillars in the Temple, never to be moved again.
Our last stop is Laodicea. Jesus said that the Laodiceans were lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. Some foods are better hot and others cold, but few foods are appealing at room temperature. Think of eating mashed potatoes that have cooled off, or ice cream that has melted. Yuck! The church at Laodicea had cooled off. They had lost their zeal for the Gospel. And yet they hadn't abandoned the faith completely. But since they were neither hot nor cold Jesus said He would spit them out (literally, vomit). They thought they were doing OK, but Jesus said that they were in fact "...wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." Jesus offered them true wealth: gold refined in the fire, pure white garments to cover their nakedness and eye salve to heal their blindness. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent." Jesus spoke sharply to the Laodiceans, but it was because He loved them and wanted His best for them. Then Jesus said, "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." What a gracious invitation! When Jesus comes knocking, open the door for Him. He won't force His way into your life.
The letters to the seven churches speak volumes to us today. We can see many of the same issues in the church today. We still battle against heresy and false teaching. We struggle with the immorality of the culture around us. But most of all, we deal with leaving our first love and growing lukewarm. We've had it easy for so many years. We've been able to live off the legacy of previous generations who built our churches. We take the church (and Jesus) for granted. We've catered to our desires and ignored the needs of the community. Jesus said that He reproves those whom He loves. This is definitely the time to answer Jesus' call to repent!
Tomorrow we get to look at what I think are the most awesome chapters in the Bible! John gives us a first-hand account of what it's like in heaven.
Here's your holy earworm for today, sung by a really cute children's choir:
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