A Church Jesus Corrects

The Seven Churches of Revelation

Part 2: A Church Jesus Corrects Revelation 2:12-3:6

Would you open your bible with me to Revelation 2:12?

Last week, we began a three-part series going through the letters to the Seven Churches found in Revelation 2 & 3.

Tonight we are going to continue as we talk about three more of the churches.

The title of my message is “A Church Jesus Corrects.”

PRAYER

• Revelation chapter 2 continues with more letters.
• Remember, these letters are from Jesus to his church.
• Last week, we read in chapter 1 how John is given a vision of the glorified resurrected Jesus, who is amongst these seven lampstands.
• We talked about how each of these letters is from Jesus to his church that his among.
• Jesus is present with HIS church. And HIS church is rightfully HIS.
• So when HIS people are hurting, there is the beautiful reminder that Jesus says he knows our pain and he knows our suffering.
• But Jesus doesn’t just know the good; He also knows the bad and the ugly that exist among HIS church.
• The three churches we are going to look at tonight require correction. Jesus, in his love for his people, is going to challenge them.
• Let’s begin with the church at Pergamum:

Revelation 2:12-17— 12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 So you also have some who, in the same way, hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore, repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’

So last we see the same letter structure as Ephesus

• Jesus reveals his glorious power
• Jesus says “I know”
• Jesus commends them
• Jesus corrects them and warns them to act.
• Jesus promises a reward for his church.
• Jesus reveals first that he is the one with “the sharp, double-edged sword.”
• EXPLAIN SIGNS AND SYMBOLS: When reading apocalyptic literature (remember that apocalysis means to unveil or reveal), it is essential to note that signs and symbols are used to make a deeper theological point.
• Signs and symbols have true realities around them but reveal deeper truths about the reality than themselves.
• For instance, think of a stop sign. You think of a hexagon-shaped, metal sign on a post at some intersection. It is red, and there are the letters STOP on it. Now this is a SIGN, but beyond the sign is the intersection and all of the cars stopping and going.
• The sign describes a real reality at a deeper level.
• The same goes for this image of Jesus given to us in chapter 1.
• The different attributes which we will talk about more as each letter addresses them, REVEAL something of the resurrected Christ’s nature.

1. Jesus’ word is powerful

• How did God create all things? He spoke.
• His word can create and destroy. Nothing he ever utters comes to pass. His word is powerful.
• Revelation 19:13-15— He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”
• He defeats the nations that rise up against him with the word of His mouth, and he is called the “Word of God.”
• We could do an entire study just on that but let’s remember now the context of who Jesus is saying this to.
• He has a message for the church, Pergumum and he begins it by reminding them whose is the one whose word has authority.
• Hebrews 4:12-13—For the word of God is aliveand active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
• The word of God is powerful and is two-sided. It both protects/comforts while also convicts and condemns.
• If you are in Christ and struggling… His word is encouragement and a reminder to you of how to be like Him.
• If you are far from Christ it will cut to the core of who you are and reveal what is broken there.
• That is what Jesus is about to do with these three churches. He is about to cut through with the sword of his mouth the deceit and the unfaithfulness found in HIS church.

2. Jesus knows the struggle of HIS church

• Pergamum was in a context that challenged their faith. Jesus commends them at first for their faithfulness.
• Jesus says that “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name.
• In Pergamum, there were many different temples to ancient gods. One of those was a temple to the god Zeus. It had a massive altar, 40 feet tall and 90 feet wide. From a distance, one would look and see what appeared to be a massive tree sticking up out of the geography.
• Jesus says he understands the pressures they are under. And that these are Satanic and demonic.
• Satan is still setting up thrones all around our world. He is not hanging out in hell but is roaming the earth like a roaring lion seeking those that he can devour. Jesus referred to him as the god of this age.
• For the Christian Pergamum, this meant that they experienced pressure and persecution.
• Jesus referenced a Christian by the name of Antipas, who historically was recorded to be “placed in a large brass bowl and roasted alive until dead.”

Jesus knows their pain, but he is almost saying that in the way that a parent talks to their child.

What typically happens when your kid does something wrong? They say “You don’t understand the context. This happened. This happened.”

Jesus says I know the context, but that doesn’t excuse what I am about to cut into with the sword of my mouth.

3. Jesus desires HIS church be clear of bad doctrine

• Jesus points out that some in the church are holding to teaching of Balaam.
• Balaam in the book Numbers was a figure who Balak, the Moabite king, tried to hire to curse the nation of Israel in the wilderness. Balaam was a seer and magician of sorts who was called to bring some spiritual attack against God’s people.
• Balaam ultimately failed to curse them from a distance, but we know from scripture that he advised on how to trip up Israel.
• Balaam gave the advice to the king to have him send the Moabite women into the camp. These Moabite women worship Baal and Asherah. They believed that by prostituting themselves, they could honor this god and goddess.
• This is recorded in Numbers 25 when Israel first fell to the idolatry and immoral worship of Baal. This worship would truly curse the nation of Israel for the remainder of its history.
• Now Jesus is warning that some of the Christians at Pergamum are sinning against the Lord in the same way. They were taking part in idol worship and sharing themselves with the prostitutes of these temples.
• The name Pergamum actually translates to “mixed marriage.”
• This is a sad irony about the struggles of this group.
• Jesus also says that some are joining the Nicolaitans. We talked about them when we talked about Ephesus. They are a group of people who believed that you could sin as much as you want because you were under Christ’s grace. A doctrine that Jesus said to the church Ephesus that he hates.
• Jesus warns if they don’t that he will come and war against them.
• He calls them to Repent!
• And the promise. Manna and a white stone with a new name written on it.

4. Jesus will transform you if you turn to Him!

• In verse 17, Jesus not only promises to provide for them with hidden manna, which is a call back to the provision God gave Israel in the wilderness, but also to give them a white stone with a new name.
• What is this white stone?
• In that ancient culture, just like today, a person who commits a crime would go before many judges/ a jury. Each of the judges would have a white stone and a black stone. Once the arguments have been given, each of the judges would step forward and place a black stone if they thought the person was guilty or a white stone showing that they are acquitted or not guilty.
• Jesus is saying, “If you repent, I will call you not guilty.”
• Another interpretation is that this could be a call back to the Urim and Thummin carried into the presence of God by the high priest. The white Urim was a stone that or lot that the priest would use to discern the will of God.
• Jesus is saying “Repent and rid yourself of impurity and I will reveal my will to you and I will share with you the mysteries of my grace.
• I love that the stone will have a new name for us because Jesus not only covers our sins but makes us a new creation with Him.

Alright, lets keep going with the church Thyatira

Revelation 2:18-28— “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

• So what does he reveal first about his nature?
• He uses the title Son of God for himself.
• This is the only time in the entire book of Revelation where Jesus uses this title for himself. Interesting? Why?

1. Jesus is making clear his authority!

• His eyes are a flame of fire. Fire in scripture represents purity.
• Our God is called an all-consuming fire.
• Jesus’ eyes are penetrating fire that sees not just what we do but why we do what we do.
• Jesus specifically sees what is going on in Thyatira. And his feet fitted with burnished bronze. This is purified bronze that has been tested by fire.
• Jesus has been proven to be the only one who is holy and pure, and therefore, he is given the right to judge the earth.
• Like in the story of the woman caught in adultery, every other judge would be flawed or imperfect. Casting down their stone, unable to condemn. But Jesus is right and true in his judgments just as much as his love is fierce.

2. Jesus commends their faith that is growing

• In this section, Jesus sandwiches his correction of this church.
• In verse 19, he tells them they are doing a good job of growing continuously forward in their faith. In verse 24, he encourages those who have not given in to the “deep things of Satan.”
• Our faith is always growing and needs to grow toward Christ and not towards the things of darkness.
• In Thyatira, there was a group of believers who believed that in order to understand the light better, they needed to understand the things of darkness.
• We should never be searching for evil.
• STORY: I spoke with someone recently who told me that they felt that it wasn’t right for them to just believe in Christianity like they always have, without giving all of the other religions a chance. This isn’t very reasonable. The truth will set you free. Lies will only lead your heart astray. There is big difference between learning how to defend your faith and opening your heart up to other faiths.
• And it is this idol worship and lack of faith in the one true Son of God that Jesus has against Thyatira.

3. Jesus wants repentance, but will judge swiftly those who don’t.

• There is a woman in Thyatira named “Jezebel.” Her name most likely was not Jezebel and is most likely another allusion to the Old Testament person (Like Balaam).
• This woman in Thyatira was most likely the former priestess of a temple who converted to Christianity. In those temples, women were the centerfold of the worship and acted as the leaders.
• This woman, “Jezebel,” was given some form of authority in the church and was teaching things similar to the Nicolaitans. She was teaching an unhealthy union of grace and unholiness.
• And Jesus wants that judgment will come swiftly upon them and those who do not repent.
• What is the message that you preach to people who are perishing?
• Oftentimes our message to people living in sin is… “it’s okay, I accept you just as you are.” Which is right? But where do things go from there?
• ILLUSTRATION: If you saw someone walking in front of a bus. Would you yell at them? Would you jump and push them out of the way? So why, why are we so afraid to offend people who are in such great danger. Far greater danger than a bus hitting them.
• Jesus is the ultimate judge. We should never act as the judge. But Jesus is also clear: “Repent or perish.”
• 2 Peter 3:9—The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
• What is the promise if we repent? Jesus says to the church, he will give them the bright and morning star.
• Revelation 22:16— “I, Jesus,have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
• In ancient cultures that paid close attention to astronomy, the morning star was typically Venus. A bright light that stands out in the sky on any new day. It was a sign of newness.
• Another translation of this passage would be the bright bringer of light. Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness, and what does he give us in the darkness? Himself. All who believe receive Him!

Revelation 3:1-6—“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Two features of Sardis set it apart from other cities.

1. Sardis was one of the wealthiest cities in the ancient world.
   • Wealth deceives the human heart. They were wealthy.
2. Sardis had a massive graveyard and temple
   • It was called the Cementary of a Thousand Hills
   • From seven miles away you could see a large temple on the hilltops to Artemis. And as far as the eye could see there was gravestones and tombs.
   • This was a city that was literally surrounded by death!

• Now the message Jesus has for Sardis is tough.
• They have a reputation for being alive but they are dead!
• Jesus’ autopsy picture of them is clear: lifeless.
• Reputation is how you are perceived… character is how you are really living.
• Jesus is not fooled by our masks; he really knows you.
• Jesus knows the inner working of our heart. Jesus knows our sin and our failings.

And so what are we to do… when the Lord appears to discipline us:

1. Wake Up!

• The first thing you need to do is admit you have an issue.
• If you need support, no one in the church is going to blame you. What a shame it is to come together every week and not take the opportunity to ask for help. For prayer. For encouragement.
• But that starts first with admitting that you’re not okay. That may be the path you are going down is leading you into the spiritual

2. Strengthen what remains

• Stabilize what is frail. Treat what is sick. Ask the Lord for help!
• How did Jesus reveal himself to Sardis? He reveals himself as the one who “holds the seven spirits.”
• Seven once again represents fullness. The spirits are the fullness of the Spirit of God.
• A dead church is one that has quenched the fire of the Holy Spirit. A church that has refused to walk in the spirit anymore.
• Sardis had stuck in its ways, and its ways were off track. They are focusing on the wrong things.

3. Lean into the Lesson

• The Lord sometimes teaches us a lesson over and over again because some of us just need to be shown that his way is better.
• Lean into the lesson he wants to teach you and walk as those who are truly worthy.
• The three churches we spoke about tonight live in ways that Jesus called them out. Don’t hate the Lord’s discipline but lean into it.
• Hebrews 12:5–6 —“My son, do not regard lightly the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you; for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
• If the Lord is testing you or pushing you… It is because he loves you and has adopted you as his own.
• Allow him to sharpen, strengthen, and break apart all that you are until what only remains is Him.
• He is in the business of new starts, fresh wind, and hope where others there is none.