Letters to the Seven Churches

Revelation • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Introduction

“Every age has had it’s darkness and dangers, the task of the Christian is not to whine about the moment in which he or she lives, but to understand it’s problems and respond appropriately to them.” Carl Trueman

In ‘The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self’ Trueman’s book surveys history, seeking to bring clarity to our present day as Christians navigate the modern culture in humanity’s ever-changing quest for identity, and more specifically, helping us think rightly about the sexual revolution which is a symptom—and not the cause—of our human search for identity.

In J. Greshem Machens day it was liberal Christianity. When I was in college, the issue of the day was the challenge of post-modernity. By the time we understood how to engage and the church shifted, we had moved way past that and the issues of millennials was upon us. That quickly past and it was/is the breakneck speed with which the transgender sexual revolution came.

The overarching question John is answering, in the book and int his next section is,

Q: How is God going to establish his rule and reign on earth? (especially when it looks like the enemy is winning)

A: By the divine Spirit

There are things common and uncommon to every age, and for every church. Problems and solutions, cultural issues and historical challenges.

If we are going to make it to the end of the age, we need a new vision of the end. A vision that carries us through everything the world and satan can throw at us. These prophetic words, prophecy with in the church, equips the church to fulfill her prophetic ministry to the world. We are spoken to, we speak to the world.

Faithfulness to Christ through the ages is the goal. Faithfulness, which means engaging and understanding, as best as we can, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, our hearts soft, our head sharp, our hands busy, our ears attentive.

I don’t want to blow through this section. I also do’t want to spend forever here. I want to take a few off ramps, explore a town or two, then get back onto the highway. There is so much in this book and not all the imagery can fully explain the truths held in them, but it is a heart compass for us, pointing us true north.

The broad strokes of the Seven Letters Section:

Faithfulness to Christ

The Struggle/Problems with Compromise

Complacency

Sexual Immorality in relationship to False Worship

You need to know Chapter 1 to understand Chapters 2 and 3, then 2 and 3 set you up for the rest of the 4-11, and the rest of the book. Divide this book in your head ch. 1-11, 12-22. The Church in the World around Us, then The Church in Battle with the One Behind the World: Satan

Recap

Revelation 1:9–20 ESV

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Here we see Family Language, Participation in the work of the church, being a light in the world

Exiled during the reign of Domitian

The christian life is a supernatural life, it is a pursuit of God, the spirit accomplishes the work. From early on, there was and is a designated day for gathering to worship. A break from the normal routine. John was in pursuit of God, and God was in pursuit of John.

The Transcendence and Nearness of God. Moving toward the New Jerusalem which is the dwelling place of God among men, how can this be? It is accomplished by Christ. See v. 17, this is how he accomplished the victory, it is all through the book.

Q: What are churches?

The starting point of establishing the kingdom of God is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and the end point is judgement and the Parousia. This is the continuum.

Salvation + Judgement

Themes: messianic war, the exodus to the new creation, witness to the world. This is the work of the church. John, our partner. Seven = Completeness, 4 = the earth

Three Songs: With Jesus in the Boat and Be Careful Little Eyes and This Little Light of Mine

Descriptions of the Risen Lord

He is the..

‘the Ancient of Days’ and ‘his head and hair were white like wool’

Daniel 7:9 ESV

“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.

“one like a son of man”

Daniel 7:13 ESV

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

Eyes like blazing fire (cf. Dn. 10:6)

The voice like the sound of rushing waters in Ezk. 43:2

That a sharp double-edged sword