Letters to the Churches

FROM: NOVEMBER 13 @ 19, 2018

Topic: “Letters to the Churches” Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 In each one of the letters for the seven churches of Asia there is a greeting or a presentation on behalf of the Lord Jesus. The Lord will give each church a particular message. The Lord will praise like, for example: "I know your deeds..." Or reproach: "But I have this against you..." He gives them an advice: "Look where you have fallen... repent..." He calls them: "He who has an ear..." or gives them a promise: "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame..."

I. It must be understood that the seven Churches belong to Christ.

A. Who for centuries cares for the churches is the owner of them, God called us to be absolutely His.

1. He is the one who examines and can see what His churches are missing. He knows where they stumble and what they fall into.

2. His eyes are perfect and He observes with justice in order to correct and perfect their lives.

3. The Church that was in EPHESUS would be the first of the seven to receive a message from the Lord.

4. Jesus lets them know that He acknowledges their "...hard (high degree of difficulty and effort) work..." (Vs. 2)

5. He knew that they had the ability to discern the false apostles and treat them as they deserved: as liars and fantasists. Those of Ephesus were not fooled and did not allow others to deceive them.

6. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus Christ claims that they had forsaken THEIR FIRST LOVE! (Vs. 4)

7. The fire of their affection had been extinguished (annihilated, it was finished, it ceased to exist).

8. THE BURNING ENTHUSIASM OF THEIR FIRST DAYS HAD DISAPPEARED!

9. Nowadays, to some, the same thing that happened to the brothers of the church of Ephesus happens to them. They remain sound in doctrine and active in the service, but the true motive of all worship and service disappears: the love for the Lord who died on the cross for them!

10. Could it be that nothing of Jesus fills you anymore, and the world does fill you?

11. If so: you have to remember: "...the height from where you have fallen and repent and do the first deeds." (Vs. 5)

B. The second of the churches is SMYRNA, from the word "myrrh" and it means: bitterness!

1. The Lord is the head of the Church and for that reason He knows about their tribulation (Vs. 9).

2. He tells them that they are rich spiritually, even in the extreme poverty in which they live.

3. To not fear for what they will suffer, because they will be tested, but to be faithful until death (Vs. 10).

C. PERGAMUM is the third. There in Pergamum the Church dwelt, where the throne of Satan was. (Vs. 13)

1. It so happened that the city of Pergamum was the Asian center where the emperor was worshipped.

2. Although there was paganism there, the Church was loyal to Christ!

3. But, Jesus rebukes this church for allowing men with bad doctrines to be among them (Vs. 14, 15). There were those of the doctrine of Balaam who approved eating things sacrificed to idols, fornication and sexual immorality. Also, today we have those who preach for money!

4. There were also those of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, who are said to be libertarians, teaching that those who were under the grace were free to practice idolatry, fornication and adultery.

5. The Lord tells the brothers of Pergamum: to repent! (Vs. 16)

D. The Church of THYATIRA is the fourth of the seven Churches.

1. They did not lack good deeds, love, faith, service and patience (Vs. 19).

2. But in the meetings they had tolerated the impure doctrine that resulted in fornication idolatry.

3. There was a prophetess woman named Jezebel teaching the evil and impure (Vs. 20). Look, I know many who seem sweet lovers of God! They conquer homes, help with children, kind, more willing and understanding than anyone else! Poor of those who fall into their nets! If you see them coming, tell me!

4. She gave orders to the brothers to sin! She was given time to repent and did not want to. (Vs. 21).

5. "...I will cast her on a bed..." = In diseases of her own lust (they may be men or women).

6. God gives each one according to their deeds!

E. The fifth of the churches is SARDIS.

1. "Wake up...what is about to die..." (Revelation 3:2) Your life, do not lose it!

2. Let's leave the nonsense with the misery of the filthiness of this world!

3. Make your life solid, firmly. Rise with what little you have left for Jesus, because you are even letting our Lord die in your life. You give signs of letting him die the way you live. Do not allow it!

4. Have you carried to the end what you have undertaken for Jesus? Or do you get tired and leave everything unfinished?

F. The Church of Philadelphia has kept the Word of God.

1. "...who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open..." (Vs. 7).

2. Jesus is the one who has the administrative power and unquestionable control! The Church is His!

3. He is the administrator, He has control that no one can question or doubt. It is not me, it is Him!

4. The brothers of the Church of Philadelphia had been able to preserve the truth by living it in their lives.

5. The Word was their treasure, it wasn't their strength! And you, in that, are you like the brothers from Philadelphia?

G. The last of the churches is the one in the city of LAODICEA.

1. These were not cold, nor hot, they were lukewarm. They would be vomited by the Lord! How horrific! (Vs. 16, 17)

2. That Church was abominably lukewarm! It receives a shattering rejection (conclusive).

3. It was warm enough as to deceive people into thinking that it was a church of God and, at the same time, so repugnantly lukewarm in the divine things that it disgusted the Highest!

4. Furthermore, this Church was characterized by the pride, the ignorance, for feeling selfsufficient and in complacent (they were very pleased in their flesh).

5. Either we are or we are not! Because the Lord asks us for perfection! (Matthew 5:48) Amen.