In chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, we find seven letters to seven churches.  These were actual churches which were present in the cities named during this time period when John received the Revelation.

These letters fascinate me.  They haunt me.  They make me want to examine my motives and plead daily for God to search my heart and see if there be any offensive way in me.  They drive me to pray for the leadership of our church.

Yesterday we discussed that Christ is the ruling Lord of the Church.  He is walking among the lampstands – He is in the midst of the local bodies of believers, holding the individuals over each church body in His sovereign right hand.

Jesus begins each address to the churches with the statement “I know.”  He knows our deeds, good and bad.  He knows our reputation and whether or not it matches reality.  He knows our suffering.  He knows our sin.  He knows.

These letters make me wonder… if Jesus Christ sent a letter to my church, to your church… what would it say?  If He sent a letter to me individually, what would it say?

Would we be commended for our faithfulness?

Would we have a reputation for being spiritually alive and growing, but in reality are dead?

Would He call us to repent?

These churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea are far removed from us in time and culture, and yet these bodies of believers have much to teach us in what they did well, in where they struggled, in where they were called to repent.

We will begin to look at these letters more closely tomorrow, but until then I hope you will spend some time reading Revelation 2 and 3 on your own.  Chew on these words.  And consider with  me what a letter to your church, to you, might say.

As we discuss these letters to the churches, I encourage you to download and use my friend Teri Lynne‘s free “30 Days, 30 Minutes, 30 Prayers” resource to guide you through specific  ways pray earnestly for your church.

30 Days, 30 Minutes, 30 Prayers

Art used (with permission) by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site,  http://revelationillustrated.com.

Remember back to your English classes in school when you were told to write a thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph for a 5 paragraph essay? In your thesis statement you would outline the points you would cover in more detail in the remainder of your essay.

In Revelation 1:19, we find the “thesis statement” for the book of Revelation.

Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

• “What John has seen”- this seems to cover the vision of Jesus recorded in Revelation one.
• “What is now” – chapters 2 and 3 are letters to seven literal churches which were present in John’s day.
• “What will take place later” – this statement seems to cover the rest of the book, chapters 4-22.

In coming posts we will begin to look more closely at the letters to the seven churches and then begin looking at the third section of “what will take place later.”

For today, I’d like to end with Jesus’ explanation of a portion of John’s initial vision in chapter one:

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

John MacArthur and the commentary of Jamison, Fausset, Brown both agree that the “angels” of the seven churches are not members of the angelic host, but would be better translated “messengers” as they seem to refer to overseeing pastors of these local churches.  [In the letters to the churches these individuals are charged with wrongdoing at times, and this would not fit an interpretation of holy angels.]

Jesus holds these overseers of His church in His right hand – He is fully in control.  He is ruling His Church and each local body of believers.  Verse 13 describes Jesus as walking among the lampstands.  Jesus is present and active in the midst of His Church.

I don’t know about you, but I find great comfort in the fact that Jesus is in the midst of His church, that He holds the leadership in His hands, that He is in the midst of the local bodies of believers.

Let me tell you a secret: Every church has issues. As we will see in the letters to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, some churches have huge, terminal issues and some are healthy overall.  But every church is full of people who are saved by grace alone and stumble in many ways.

If you’re struggling in your current church home, let me encourage you to lift your eyes to Jesus, the Lord of the Church.  He knows.  Pray for your pastors.  Love your flawed and sinful brothers and sisters in Christ.  Rest in God’s sovereignty and cling to Truth!

He has a plan.  He held the past, He holds the present, He holds the future.  He is the I Am!

For more daily encouragement, find my blog page on facebook!  You can also subscribe by email to receive daily posts sent right to your inbox.

Art used (with permission) by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site,  http://revelationillustrated.com.

This week we are going to look at Revelation 1:17-20:

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Last week we looked briefly at verses 17 and 18, but I wanted to spend a little time looking at Jesus’ description of Himself more closely.  [We'll look at the rest of the passage in subsequent posts.]

I am (1:17)

• I AM – this title was how God introduced himself back in Exodus 3:14 – we discussed it more in depth back in “He Has Not Forgotten.”
• Jesus also uses this title in Matthew 14:27 (translated “it is I” in English) to comfort His disciples.  He uses the title again in John 8:58-59, and the people pick up stones to kill Him for blasphemy!  They clearly knew what He was claiming!

…the First and the Last. (1:17)

• In the beginning, He was.  He alone existed.  When all false gods are gone and destroyed – He alone will remain!
• God uses this title for Himself twice in the book of Isaiah.

I am the Living One (1:18)

• He is eternal, uncaused, self-existent!
• God is frequently referred to as the “living God” in both the Old and New Testaments.  See Joshua 3:10,  1 Samuel 17:26, Psalm 84:2, Hosea 1:10, Matthew 26:63, and many others!

I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (1:18)

• Not only is He the I Am, the First and the Last, and the Living One… but He conquered death!  He was dead and now is alive – not temporarily like Lazarus – but for ever and ever!  He actually holds the keys to death!

The Bible is clear: Jesus is most certainly God. He holds the end of this amazing story of history.

Nothing will surprise Him.

Nothing will overpower Him.

Nothing will defeat Him.

When He says that He is revealing what will take place in the future, I believe Him.  For He holds the keys to death.  He is the Living One.  He is the first and the last.  He is the I Am.

I don’t know what my tomorrow holds.  But I rest confidently and securely in my living, eternal, omnipotent God!  When He says “Do not be afraid”… trust Him.

For more daily encouragement, find my blog page on facebook!  You can also subscribe by email to receive daily posts sent right to your inbox.

Art used (with permission) by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site,  http://revelationillustrated.com.

Through this Revelation series, I know that many of the posts will be content-heavy.  Today I thought we’d have our first “so what?” Saturday – a time to pause at the end of the week and consider what difference all that content should make in our lives.

{Remember that you’ll be able to find all of the Revelation posts listed here.}

This week we’ve been looking at the bigger view of Christ which Revelation one paints for us.  We looked at the meaning behind the descriptions of His voice as well as His physical appearance in verses 13-14 and then continuing in verses 15-16.

And now the big question: so what?  What difference does it make in how we live?

Obviously a larger view of Christ would radically change our worship, our reverence, our fear of God.

Until we see Jesus here in all His glory, we cannot fully comprehend the extent of the sacrifice He gave on our behalf.  To robe Himself in limited flesh, to kneel and serve the sinful and rebellious, to suffer and die like a criminal.  Jesus was fully man, indeed.  But He never ceased to be holy God.

Considering this aspect of Jesus’ humility and sacrifice on our behalf dramatically impacts my view of myself, as well.  How often do I refuse to do certain tasks or avoid things out of a sense of pride?  How often do I delay in offering true forgiveness to others, feeling that they have wounded me – they owe me?

I’m too good for that. I probably wouldn’t say it out loud, but that attitude can lurk in my heart – it probably lurks in yours, as well.  Pride has no place in the heart of a follower of Jesus.  He humbled Himself in ways we can’t fully comprehend… humbling ourselves to serve and forgive those around us is only a shadow of what He did for us.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:4-11

Not only looking out for our own interests.

Not grasping after our “rights” and what we “deserve.”

Being willing to be made nothing.

To be the lowliest of servants.

THAT, my friends, would be a truly counter-cultural life.  May our attitudes be like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What difference has this week of looking at Jesus in Revelation one made in your life?