LEARNING DAILY

Revelation 2:29, He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Dr. Ed Newton, Lead Pastor at Community Bible Church, has just led a second group of people on a tour of the seven Churches of The Revelation. The message he spoke this past weekend concerned these churches and the message each brought to the True Church. I have written about each individual church in the past; today’s blog will try to capture what Dr. Newton gave in his message. I doubt I do justice to all he said in this short page of the blog.

To each church, the Lord Jesus introduced Himself in a way that spoke to the need and condition of that specific church. Dr. Newton said it is as if He was saying, “Let Me tell you who I am”. To each church he was saying that He is in authority over the church; He is the One who reigns (listener Guide). To Ephesus He was the One who has ownership (Rev. 2:1). To Smyrna He declared He was the only One qualified to reign (Rev. 2:8). To Pergamum, He “first came on a donkey, but the second time He comes it will be on a warhorse” (Rev. 2:12) (Newton). To Thyatira He declared He was holy, “seeing all things which will either comfort or convict us” (Rev. 2:18) (Newton). To Sardis, He said He alone had authority over the churches (Rev. 3:1). To the church at Philadelphia, He said He alone has authority because He now held the key of David (Rev. 3:7). To Laodicea, He said He was faithful, He was the true witness (rev. 3:14).

Dr. Newton then spoke about the changes occurring in each church. As you read about these changes, consider the church today. Ephesus left their first love (Rev. 2:4. Pergamum became worldly (Rev. 2:14-15). This church taught that it was okay to be sexually immoral within the church and that they could live anyway they wanted because Jesus had forgiven them already. Thyatira became tolerant (Rev. 2:20). Sardis became dead. “They looked alive but they celebrated their past accomplishments” (Newton). Laodicea was lukewarm (Rev. 3:15-16). Dr Newton spoke of this church being a very wealth church but were of “no value spiritually”.

Do you recognize the church today. Is sin and worldliness being tolerated today or is being spoken against from the pulpit? Why do I see articles being written about people leaving the church, disappointed with it and not meeting their needs? Has trying to look like the world to attract people been successful? Why are denominations giving in to sinful practices, those teachings contrary to the Word of God?

Only the church at Smyrna and Philadelphia were affirmed by Jesus. The message to them by the Lord was to be resilient, to be strong knowing they were favored. To the other churches, the message was to get right with the teachings of the gospel. Each church was told to repent, to wake up, come back to purity.

The message to each church in The Revelation should resonate with each one of us. Look around you and you cannot help but notice everything these churches were accused of abounds in the churches today, I believe every person who has given their life, in faith, to follow the Lord Jesus Christ on a narrow way must do several things. First, pray that the Lord would, “Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there are any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Revival begins with each of those in the True Church allowing the Lord to examine them and reveal anything that needs to be changed or you need to stop doing. Jesus told the churches of The Revelation to get right with Him; He was their reward. Pray for a fresh move of God in your life, to make you stronger in your walk with Him on the narrow way, and to help you become bolder in a world that so desperately needs Jesus.

All true Believers are called to live their lives in the way Jesus desires them to live. That helps them stay on the narrow way and to be a light to a dark world. Will you join me in taking time to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to me those areas where I need to repent in order to be who He wants me –you – to be?