Jim Parker
Member
State of Union Part two
Jesus’ State of the Church Address: the Letters to the 7 Churches
I. The Church at Ephesus
A. The Good Stuff:
(1) Rev 2:2-3 … your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
(2) Rev 2: 6 you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
(Who? Probably a heretical sect within the church that had worked out a compromise with the pagan society. They apparently taught that spiritual liberty gave them sufficient leeway to practice idolatry and immorality. )
B. Not so good: Rev 2:4 you have left your first love.
C. What to do about it: Rev. 2:5a
(1) Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
(2) Repent and do the first works,
D. Consequence of not taking action: Rev. 2:5b I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
II. The Church at Smyrna
A. The Good Stuff: Jesus knows what’s going on.
Rev 2;9-10a I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.
B. Not so good: Nothing negative to report
C. What to do: Rev 2:10b Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
III. The Church at Pergamos
A. The Good Stuff: Rev 2:13 …you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
B. Not so good: Rev 2:14-15 … you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
C. What to do about it: Rev 2:16a Repent
D. Consequence of not taking action: Rev 2:16b … I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. (Won’t be pretty)
IV. The Church at Thyatira
A. The Good Stuff: Rev 2:19 … your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
B. Not so good: Rev 2:20 … you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. (Nicolaitan sect again)
C. What to do about it: Jesus will personally deal with her and those who follow her teachings.
Rev 2:22-23 I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Rev 2:25 … hold fast what you have till I come.
V. The Church at Sardis
A. The Good Stuff: There is no good stuff.
B. Not so good: Rev 3:1-2 … you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. …. I have not found your works perfect before God
C. What to do about it: Rev 3:2-3… Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die… Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent
D. Consequence of not taking action: Rev 3:3 … I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
VI. The Church at Philadelphia
A. The Good Stuff: Rev 3:8b … you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Rev 3:10a… you have kept My command to persevere,
B. Not so good: Nothing bad to report.
C. What to do: Rev 3:11 Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
D. Consequence of their action: Rev 3:10b I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
VII. The Church at Laodicea
A. The Good Stuff: There is no good stuff
B. Not so good:
(1) Lukewarm: Rev 3:15-16 Neither hot nor cold and about to lose God’s presence. (I will vomit you out of my mouth.)
(2) Pursuit of personal wealth: Rev 3:17 You say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
C. What to do about it: Rev 3:18-19 … buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
My personal opinion of the State of the Church in America.
Compared to the ancient churches of Revelation, not much has changed.
More and more churches are teaching that God approves of homosexual marriages and homosexual relationships.
The church does not preach about the practices that will result in eternal death.
When is the last time you heard a sermon on 1 Cor 6:9-10?
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
There is a general lack maturity in the church. And the result of that immaturity is a lack of Christian witness by the church.
Jesus said at Mat 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
The result of a lack of maturity is that people can’t tell a believer from a pagan because they both act pretty much the same. The “salt” has lost its flavor
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
The church can’t hide from the world.
A believer can’t hide from the world.
Don’t hide.
Be the light of the world.
Let the world see your good works,
- Let them see your acts of mercy and grace
- Let them see the mercy and grace that are characteristic of God and His children
- Let them see your refusal to do evil
- Let them see you be patient and kind and not proud or rude or self-centered.
Let it be that, when someone meets you, he falls in love with Jesus.
Jesus’ State of the Church Address: the Letters to the 7 Churches
I. The Church at Ephesus
A. The Good Stuff:
(1) Rev 2:2-3 … your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
(2) Rev 2: 6 you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
(Who? Probably a heretical sect within the church that had worked out a compromise with the pagan society. They apparently taught that spiritual liberty gave them sufficient leeway to practice idolatry and immorality. )
B. Not so good: Rev 2:4 you have left your first love.
C. What to do about it: Rev. 2:5a
(1) Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
(2) Repent and do the first works,
D. Consequence of not taking action: Rev. 2:5b I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
II. The Church at Smyrna
A. The Good Stuff: Jesus knows what’s going on.
Rev 2;9-10a I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.
B. Not so good: Nothing negative to report
C. What to do: Rev 2:10b Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
III. The Church at Pergamos
A. The Good Stuff: Rev 2:13 …you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
B. Not so good: Rev 2:14-15 … you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
C. What to do about it: Rev 2:16a Repent
D. Consequence of not taking action: Rev 2:16b … I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. (Won’t be pretty)
IV. The Church at Thyatira
A. The Good Stuff: Rev 2:19 … your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
B. Not so good: Rev 2:20 … you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. (Nicolaitan sect again)
C. What to do about it: Jesus will personally deal with her and those who follow her teachings.
Rev 2:22-23 I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Rev 2:25 … hold fast what you have till I come.
V. The Church at Sardis
A. The Good Stuff: There is no good stuff.
B. Not so good: Rev 3:1-2 … you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. …. I have not found your works perfect before God
C. What to do about it: Rev 3:2-3… Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die… Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent
D. Consequence of not taking action: Rev 3:3 … I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
VI. The Church at Philadelphia
A. The Good Stuff: Rev 3:8b … you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Rev 3:10a… you have kept My command to persevere,
B. Not so good: Nothing bad to report.
C. What to do: Rev 3:11 Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
D. Consequence of their action: Rev 3:10b I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
VII. The Church at Laodicea
A. The Good Stuff: There is no good stuff
B. Not so good:
(1) Lukewarm: Rev 3:15-16 Neither hot nor cold and about to lose God’s presence. (I will vomit you out of my mouth.)
(2) Pursuit of personal wealth: Rev 3:17 You say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
C. What to do about it: Rev 3:18-19 … buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
My personal opinion of the State of the Church in America.
Compared to the ancient churches of Revelation, not much has changed.
More and more churches are teaching that God approves of homosexual marriages and homosexual relationships.
The church does not preach about the practices that will result in eternal death.
When is the last time you heard a sermon on 1 Cor 6:9-10?
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
There is a general lack maturity in the church. And the result of that immaturity is a lack of Christian witness by the church.
Jesus said at Mat 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
The result of a lack of maturity is that people can’t tell a believer from a pagan because they both act pretty much the same. The “salt” has lost its flavor
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
The church can’t hide from the world.
A believer can’t hide from the world.
Don’t hide.
Be the light of the world.
Let the world see your good works,
- Let them see your acts of mercy and grace
- Let them see the mercy and grace that are characteristic of God and His children
- Let them see your refusal to do evil
- Let them see you be patient and kind and not proud or rude or self-centered.
Let it be that, when someone meets you, he falls in love with Jesus.