Local churches are in the hand of Jesus Christ.
“The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches.” Rev 1:20
Local churches are in the hand of Jesus Christ.
In each letter, Jesus says to each church, “I know thy works”.
Pastor, Elder, Deacon the Lord Jesus says to you and your church, “I know thy works”.
These 7 seven churches really existed. Regardless of who the “angels” are (a real angel over the church or its pastor/minister), or what lessons these letters may hold for the Church Militant or for an individual believer, they were initially written to specific local churches that existed in Asia Minor, during the 1st Century, when John lived.
The Lord Jesus was dealing with local congregations, just like the local congregations to which we belong.
He addresses issues of conduct AND doctrine; never think that one is more important than the other.
CONDUCT = Ephesus is warned: “Repent, and do the works you did at first, …” Rev 2:5
CONDUCT = Smyrna is commended: “I know your works and tribulation and poverty (but you are rich).” Rev 2:9
CONDUCT = Pergamum is commended: “I know your works and where you live, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” Rev 2:13
CONDUCT = Sarids is warned: “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain but are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfected before God.” Rev 3:2
CONDUCT = Philadelphia is encouraged: I know your works. Look! I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it. For you have a little strength, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” Rev 3:8
CONDUCT = Laodicea is warned: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.” Rev 3:15
DOCTRINE = Ephesus is commended: “And you have tested those who say they are apostles, but are not, and have found them to be liars.” Rev 2:2
DOCTRINE = Pergamum is warned: “But I have a few things against you: You have there those who hold the teaching of Balaam, … you also have those who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” Rev 2:14-15
DOCTRINE = Thyatira is warned: “But I have a few things against you: You permit that woman Jezebel, a who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols.” Rev 2:20
Conduct and doctrine are intimately connected and intertwined, because we act according to what we believe; both matter to Jesus, both should matter to us.
His intimate knowledge is based on intimate involvement. Never think Jesus does not see; never think Jesus does not know. He walks among the churches. He attends our church services, he hears our prayers, he sees how we act, and he knows what we believe.
And not only does he know, he deals with the situations that do not please him. Jesus deals with sin (wrong conduct) in local churches, and he deals with wrong doctrine in local churches. This is different from his dealings with us as individuals! Why does a church languish, or close? Could it be sin was being practiced or error being believed, and Jesus dealt with it?
And notice, that each letter starts with “To the angel” but ends with “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
These are words to individual churches by way of their “angel”, but they are also words to the individuals of “the churches”, such that we are to learn from what is said to other churches as well as what is said to our church. The seven (7) churches of Asia Minor had to hear what Jesus said to them specifically, but they also had to hear what he said to all the other six (6) churches.
As churches, we too need to hear what Jesus said to them; as pastors, elders, and deacons we need to hear; and as individual members we need to hear.
This thought should be about as scary a thought as we can have, that Jesus walks among us, and is watching and is dealing with us.
Lastly notice that each letter starts with Jesus speaking, but ends with a command to hear what the Spirit is saying. While what I just wrote is true that Jesus himself is among us, as he himself said in Mat 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” it is equally true that the Holy Spirit is among us in a corporate sense.
This is not about him living in the hearts of us as individual Christians, but he being in our midst as a gathered congregation.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells among you?” 1Co 3:16
“In whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Eph 2:22
Let us never forget, nor under value the presence of God the Holy Spirit among us; it is by him that the Lord Jesus speaks to his churches.
12 June 2024