December 10, 2023
“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!” (Revelation 2:4 NLT). John’s revelation began with seven letters from Jesus to seven churches. Each letter mentioned something specific to the city in which the church was located. Most of the letters began with a commendation
December 10, 2021
DOES JESUS HAVE YOUR FIRST LOVE? John’s revelation began with seven letters from Jesus to seven churches. Each letter mentioned something specific to the city in which the church was located. Most of the letters began with a commendation followed by a correction. This was the case with the first letter, which was written to
December 10, 2020
WILL YOU BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH? The Lord Jesus dictated letters to be sent to the seven churches in Asia Minor via the apostle John. In His letter to the church of Smyrna, Jesus warned them of an upcoming time of suffering and tribulation. He called them to “be faithful until death,” reminding them that
September 3, 2020
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Revelation 2:12-17
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exposition
We rarely dive into the deep end of sin. We tend to slide into the shallow end, slowly inching ourselves deeper until it’s over our heads and we start drowning. No one sets out to be an addict or an alcoholic, they make a series of compromises that lead them there. No one plans on being unfaithful in their marriage, divorce was never the plan, but they make a series of compromises that lead them there. No one decides to reject Jesus in order to put money or material things or some other pursuit their god, but they make little compromises that lead them there.
We tend to do better with big challenges, but it’s the little compromises that erode our lives and our souls over time.
That’s what was happening in the church of Pergamum, compromise was eroding their faith. But Jesus had a word for them. In the book of Revelation, Jesus told John to write a letter to seven churches in Asia Minor. To the church of Pergamum, Jesus told John to write a letter calling them to uncompromising faith. We can have uncompromising faith.
August 23, 2020
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Revelation 2:8-11
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exposition
Are you facing suffering today? There are many aspects of human suffering, or pain in the broader sense. There is psychological suffering: depression, anxiety, loneliness, grief from a death, a divorce or a broken friendship. Maybe that’s where you are today. You have emotional pain. Then, there is physical suffering: sickness, injury, declining health, sleep deprivation, even the pain of hunger, thirst and shelter for the impoverished. And the minute we put suffering into these two categories of psychological and physical, we have to understand that one affects the other. The pain of the body affects the mind, and the suffering of the mind affects the body. We all want to avoid suffering don’t we? But isn’t suffering and pain inevitable in this life? And since it is, wouldn’t you like help in how to face suffering when it comes?
That’s where the believers in Smyrna were. They were suffering tribulation and poverty and Jesus sent a letter to help them face it. In the book of Revelation, Jesus told John to write a letter to the church of Smyrna to help them with the suffering they were facing. We can receive Christ’s help when we face suffering.
August 16, 2020
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Revelation 2:1-7
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exposition
Jesus wrote a letter to His churches. The first letter went to the church of Ephesus. It was a love letter. He wanted to know why they no longer loved Him as they did at first. Isn’t that amazing? That the Lord Jesus would care whether we love Him or not? Don’t we all need to hear this today? You may be listening today and you feel lonely and unloved. You may wonder whether the Lord is even aware of your situation. Does He even care?
Hear this: Jesus loves you. And he wants to know whether you love Him back. In Revelation chapter 2, Jesus told John to write a letter to the church of Ephesus, calling them to always put their love for Him first. We can answer Christ’s call to put our love for Him first.
December 10, 2019
JESUS CARES ABOUT OUR LOVE John’s revelation began with seven letters from Jesus to seven churches. Each letter mentioned something specific to the city in which the church was located. Most of the letters began with a commendation followed by a correction. This was the case with the first letter, which was written to Ephesus.
December 11, 2017
The book of Revelation opens with seven letters to seven churches written by the apostle John on behalf of Jesus. They were addressed to the “angel” of each church. The word “angel” might also be translated “messenger,” as each letter would be expected to be read aloud by a messenger to the church, who was most likely that church’s pastor.
Each letter followed a similar outline:
1) Place to. (In this case, Thyatira, the ruins of which lie in the modern city of Akhisar, Turkey.)
2) Person from. (In every case, Jesus. To the church at Thyatira He is the omniscient judge, with “eyes of fire” and “feet of brass.”)
3) Praise given. (Jesus commended Thyatira for their “works” saying “the last are more than the first.”)
4) Problem named. (Thyatira was “allowing” or tolerating false teaching from a woman named “Jezebel.”)
5) Prescription given. (“Hold fast” until Jesus returns.)
6) Promise offered. (God would give them authority. After all this is what they had lost with their tolerance of Jezebel.)
Christ’s letter to the church at Thyatira is a warning to any church that makes tolerance their main doctrine and therefore gives up the authority of God’s Word.
December 10, 2013
Since Jesus has called us to a relationship, He cares about our love. The church at Ephesus was commended by Christ for their works, endurance and doctrine. Yet, He questioned the priority of their love. He called them back to the passion they had when they first began. Jesus cares as much for our attitude as our action. He wants our hearts afire with a love for Him that worships out of passionate devotion, not religious duty.
December 10, 2011
Churches today track how much money and how many people, but Jesus had a different way of tracking success. He wanted to know how much they loved Him. How’s your church doing?