Revelation 2: Letters to the church

Hope after Hope Before Hope / Revelation 2

The One who walks among the seven golden lampstands: Christ is always for the church

• We are given this image of Christ walking amongst the lampstands. These are the churches. We immediately see that Christ is walking close to the church. He is close to. He knows the churches. He sees them and understands them.

Revelation 2:1–2 ESV

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

“ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

• There is a pattern that we see in these churches. Jesus points to something specific.

• He calls them to repentance through them losing their way

• Christ is not saying these things as someone detached from the church. As someone from the outside looking in. He is saying them as One deeply connected.

• Christ is not standing among the lamp stands as comforter. But He is standing on the lamp stands as judge and arbiter of truth.

– Christ is the One to be listened to and obeyed.

Revelation 2:4–5 ESV

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

To Hear Christ is a response of God’s grace

Revelation 2:11 ESV

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

• But in whatever he says, He tells the church to listen. He is calling the church to wake up to what He is saying and listen. And when we do we will be placed in Him to persevere.

To repent points to God’s grace

Revelation 2:14–16 ESV

But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

But To say that we are not open to correction is to say that our personal destiny is the most important and d most authoritative thing about us. To approach any situation believing that we always know what to do and that we aren’t open to correction is to say that we are the most important voice in the room.

Romans 2:4 ESV

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

God’s order and word are universal laws. It’s not so much that we break them it’s that we break against them. And so when Christ says, don’t keep driving down Carpenter street, you will break your car against a metal barrier. It is better to turn.