Letters to the Seven Churches, continued

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Sardis

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Sardis was a city in the highlands of Asia Minor it also dated back to about 1200 BC. It was situated on the commercial highway that we have been talking about. It was about 30 miles from Thyatira on this highway and about 30 miles from Smyrna across country. It was enriched by commerce and manufactured textiles and gold jewelry for trade and export.

Sardis is credited with the minting of the first coins establishing a "legal tender" that could be used in the market place.

It was also a "free city" like Ephesus until 546 BC. when it fell to armies of Cyrus the Great. The citizens of Sardis were very rich and were patrons of the "mystery cults" that claimed to restore life to the dead. Many of the early Christians reverted back to these cults.

This city was a city of "firsts":

1. The first in that part of the world to be converted by the preaching of Paul.
2. The first to revolt from Christianity.
3. The first to be laid in ruins (546 BC.). God's judgment was final, it still lies in ruins without a church or a ministry.

Notice that John is again instructed to write the letter to the "Angel" of the church in Sardis.

Now lets see the function of Jesus that is described in this letter. " Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars." Again remembering that "seven" stands for completeness in the Bible, the seven spirits of God represent the completeness of God's spirit indwelled in the Son. He possessed all and He freely gave to all who ask. The seven stars, again, were the seven ministers of the seven churches. Some suggest that it might have meant the "spiritual influences" that edify the church. In any case, they are the tools of the Holy Spirit.

Up to this point, Jesus always finds something to commend the church for, but in this one, nothing good was found. Notice that there was much to condemn them for." "I know your works, you have the reputation of being "alive" but you are dead."

How could a "dead" church have the reputation of being alive? Well it was one of the best known in Asia. Their budget overflowed. Programs flourished. Missions flourished under its generous budget. Other people looked to Sardis as an example to follow in doctrine, purity, unity of believers, work ethic, decency and church order.

What could possibly have happened for the Lord to have considered them to be "dead"?

1. Hypocrites had found their way into the church.
2. Their religion, in spite of all outward appearances, was in a state of decay.
3. There was a great deadness in their soul.
4. There was no life in their services.
5. Their spirits were lifeless.
6. Their prayers were repetitious.

Jesus said to them, "You no longer persist in watching." We must constantly be on our guard, particularly in times of prosperity. Whenever we "let up", we loose ground. There is no "status quo". To this church Jesus warns them to purify themselves and hold on to the things that yet remain, indicating that there is a ray of hope. This could have meant that there was still some that had remained true to their conversion or perhaps within their "show of religion", there was still some hope.

What then did Jesus suggest? "Remember what you have received and heard." To what was Jesus referring?

1. The soul inspiring messages that they had heard in the past.
2. Tokens of God's mercy toward them in the past.
3. The Joy of their conversion and the astonishment they experienced at God's mercy toward them.
4. Their love for the gospel.
5. Their concern for the lost.

The warning......... "If you do not repent, I will come upon you as a thief in the night and you will not know at what hour I will come." Note: We always have the presence of Jesus. He either strengthens and blesses us, or He judges us.

But there is hope for Sardis as God takes notice of a faithful few who abide in Him. To these He says, you shall walk with me in white, for you are worthy." These are the promised "white robes of justification", given not as a reward but as a gift of grace. To these He says, "I will not blot out your name from the "Book of Life". This is a register of all who shall inherit eternal life. Some may, by choice or neglect, have their names removed from this register, this speaks of apostasy, which I have problems with since I believe in the "perseverance of the saints". Christ will produce this register of the faithful before God and say, "Behold Me and those you have given me."

"He who has an ear, let him hear." While it may seem to have been directed to one body, it has something for all of us.

Philadelphia

We know very little about the city of Philadelphia. It was perhaps the youngest of the seven being only about 200 years old at this time. It to was located on the very much traveled commercial route as was the others.

Philadelphia literally means, "City of Brotherly Love". I thought perhaps that the city had been named after it became Christian but Matthew Henry straightened me out with this commentary: "There was an excellent spirit in Philadelphia even before it became Christian and when that spirit became "sanctified" by the grace of the Gospel it rendered them an excellent church which indeed they were for no fault was found in this church. Love and kindness abounded in this city before the advent of Christianity."

Again John is instructed to write to the Angel of the church.

Notice the function of Jesus that is described in this letter.

1. The Holy and True one. Here we have a testimony to the character of Jesus. Holy, the second person of the Trinity, and True, unchanging in His word.
2. Having the "key of David". This denotes authority over the church. The key does two things:
   1. It opens:
      • Opportunity to the churches
      • A door of "utterance" to the ministers
      • A door of entrance into the heart
      • A door of admission to the church
   2. It closes:
      • The door of opportunity to the church
      • The door of utterance to the minister
      • The door of salvation when sinners shut themselves up in the "hardness" of their hearts
      • The door of church membership to unbelievers
      • The door of heaven to the "foolish virgins" who slept away their "day of Grace

He opens and no man can close, He closes and no man can open. Here in simple terms is the doctrine of the "Sovereignty of God". (Is there justice on God's part? See Rom. 9:14-24)

Now note the thing for which Jesus commends them:

1. Great strength and perseverance in the face of an overwhelming task. "I have only given you a little strength or Grace which was not proportional to the wide door of opportunity which I gave you, yet you have kept the faith and not grown weary. Thus I will bestow upon you a great favor. The Synagogue of Satan will come and worship before your feet."

The Synagogue of Satan, who might they be? In John's day they were people who pretended to be Jews but were not. Who might they be today? Those who worship false gods or those whose worship is false.

"These shall worship at your feet." My vengeful mind perceived this as judgment upon the Synagogue of Satan but the truth is that what was being prophesied here was the conversion of these people by the love and witness of the people of Philadelphia. They would come to know and love those they had hated. This would come about by the power of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

The second gift that Christ promises to bestow on them is "perseverance". The Saints persevere because of the Grace of God. Thus we have the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints.

Then Christ has a few words of caution for the church:

1. Caution concerning their "liberties" and "opportunities". "The door of opportunity that I have set before you, no man can shut." From this we see:
   1. Christ is the author of all liberty and opportunity.
   2. He takes note of what we do with these gifts.
   3. Evil forces from without cannot affect these gifts.
   4. Only we can provoke Christ into removing these gifts from us.
2. Caution concerning "holding fast". Hold fast to your present faith, your work, the gospel truth, the grace of God, your zeal and your love for each other. Why? "Because I am coming soon." The word "soon" or "quickly" as it is translated in the K.J. is relative.

To those who persevere Christ promises they shall be a "pillar" in the Temple of God An un-removable object, figuratively speaking, upon which God will write His name, the name of the "City of God" and this shall never be removed or defaced.

This whole letter speaks of the hold that Christ has on the Christian. "Those whom God has given me no one can take away."

"He that has an ear, let him hear", two of the great doctrines of the church, the Sovereignty of God and the Perseverance of the Saints.

Laodicea

The seventh and last church to be written to was the church at Laodicea. This is perhaps the best known of the seven by today's Christians. Like Rome, it was built on seven hills. It to was a very prosperous city located on the trade route from Ephesus. It was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake (60 AD) about 35 years before this letter was written. It was a tribute to the skills of these people that in 35 years it had been completely rebuilt without the aid of Rome. They had built an acqua-duct from Hierapolis, a city some 10 or 15 miles away, too bring drinking water into the city. Because of the long trip across the desert, the water arrived "luke warm". This may be why Jesus used that adjective to describe the church. The city remains in ruins today. One of the few areas still unexcavated. With this background, lets look at the letter.

Again the letter is written to the Angel at the church at Laodicea.

Notice how Jesus is described in this letter:

1. The Amen. One who is firm and unchangeable.
2. The faithful and true witness. This is a duel function. His testimony of God to men and His testimony of man to God should be fully received and believed.
3. The "beginning" of God's creation. This to is a duel function. He was in the beginning at God's first creation and He was the "first born" of God's second creation, His Church.

Notice there was nothing there for God to commend but there was something that bothered Him very much. "I know your works and you are neither hot nor cold." This condition, as it relates to religion, has been the subject of condemnation for ages. Here are some samples:

1. "Being indifferent or lukewarm about religion is the vilest of all sins."
2. "If religion is real we should express our zeal and make it a most excellent thing.
3. "If it is not real, we should be dead set against it."
4. "If religion is worth anything, it is worth everything."
5. "An open enemy shall fair better than an neutral friend."
6. "There is more hope for the pagan than for an indifferent person."

Jesus expects us to be either for Him or against Him. He tells them "I wish you were either "hot" or "cold". "But because you are neither, I will spew you out of my mouth." People call their "Luke warmness" many things, being liberal, live and let live, respect for other beliefs, fear, meekness, moderation and the best one, "largeness of soul". But regardless what it is called, it is nauseous to the Lord.

Notice the two things that caused this "nauseous" situation here at Laodicea:

1. Self - delusion.
2. Self - satisfaction.
   • "I am rich."
   • "I have everything."
   • "I need nothing."

Why do we deceive ourselves?

Notice the problem in detail:

1. Their bodies were well provided for so they thought their souls were also.
2. They had "learning" and they mistook it for knowledge.
3. They had talents and they mistook it for grace.
4. They had ordinances and they mistook it for religion.
5. They thought they had need for nothing, but Jesus considered them wretched, pitiful ,poor,blind, and naked.

Wretched because of their evil and indifferent state. Pitiful because they had disillusioned themselves and everyone knew it. Poor spiritually and though they were rich. The opposite of Smyrna. Blind because they could not see the uselessness of their condition. Naked because they were not clothed with the garment of justification. Their righteousness was as filthy rags.

What advice does Jesus Give these people?

1. Drop the false opinion that they have of themselves.
2. Endeavor to be in reality what they seem to be.
3. Buy "refined gold" from me. That which is pure and true.
4. Buy "white garments" from me. Robes of righteousness, which Christ purchased on the cross for us.
5. Buy "salve" from me. Ointment for their eyes that they might be opened to the truth.

Then Christ offers encouragement to all His people who feel they have been overburdened, "Those whom I love, I chasten." We should learn to accept God's discipline in our lives as evidence of His love.

Notice How Jesus makes the first move. He "knocks" letting us know that He is there. I see one of the differences between Luther and Calvin so wonderfully depicted in this statement (verse 20). He knocks, but we must open and invite Him in.

Matthew Henry describes this procedure this way:

1. Christ graciously knocks at the hearts door of sinners.
2. Man, by nature, will keep the door shut because of ignorance and disbelief.
3. He does not stop knocking even though He finds the door shut.
4. He uses all the means at His disposal to cause the sinner to open the door. i.e. His word, His servants and the Holy Spirit.
5. Those who open shall receive great joy, He will come in and eat with them, and they will sit with Him on His throne.

Apparently there was still some hope for this church.

We end this portion of the book of Revelation with a word of advice. There will be a resemblance in all churches to these seven churches, both in their graces and in their sins, and we may expect that God will deal with us as He did with them. He who has an ear, let him hear.

This completes the seven letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Again let us remind ourselves that they were applicable to John's generation and to all succeeding generations and that it is an "allegory" veiled in symbolic expressions. These first three chapters that we have studied are often called a "pastoral letter". We will now start a study of the Seven Visions which John had, remembering that they are more "apocalyptic" in nature.

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