SEVEN CHURCHES #1

#1 · January 9, 2007, 3:46 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on January 9, 2007, 3:46 pm
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
SEVEN CHURCHES #1

CHRIST SPEAKS TO HIS CHURCH

January 7, 2007

TEXT: Revelation 1:1-3, 9-20

Standing on the threshold of a new year last Sunday, I referenced Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, as our reminder that no matter what may happen in this or any year, Jesus Christ is our foundation. Following Jesus Christ sets us on a course we can follow to get through the most turbulent times. Without keeping this reminder in front of us constantly, we can find ourselves adrift and heading rapidly toward the dangerous rocks that would wreck us.

This is, Im afraid, very descriptive of our culture around us. In last Tuesdays Kokomo Tribune, there are two editorials that speak volumes about our contemporary condition. In a reprinted article from The Herald Bulletin of Anderson, an editorialist asks, Have girls gone wild? Latching on to recent scandals with the Miss USA contestants and others, the writer expresses concern about the direction that girls and young women are heading. We read, We will probably see much more such scandals because it is a sign of the times. The lure of celebrity and fame, strong throughout history, seems to be almost the driving virtue of many young people. Constantly in touch with some kind of media, young people see themselves in others and the more traditional influences - parents, churches, schools - cannot compete with the glitter and fun of celebrities at play. Their point is that young women, and young men, are making poor decisions for fleeting pleasures and ignoring the long-term effects that these decisions can have on their lives. The article ends tepidly, We hope young people searching for role models to emulate find some who embody values beyond themselves. Not a very helpful solution. Another article on the same page offers an excellent solution. Pat Fagan of the Heritage Foundation writes that a powerful resource is quietly and far more effectively contributing to the common good in myriad ways: religious practice. Mr. Fagan informs us in his report that regular attendance at religious services is linked to healthy, stable family life, strong marriages, and well-behaved children. Regular worship attendance is linked to reduced incidents of domestic abuse, crime, substance abuse, addiction, and other social diseases. He delineates many other advantages gained from regular worship attendance. In the first article, one of our many social problems is plainly laid out, but no useful answer is given. In the second article, evidence of the practical good of religious worship - and we believe that to be Christian worship - provides the necessary antidote to the problem described in the first article. Sadly, it is the life-giving antidote that is being thrown out by significant organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. So we are left with lots of problems and no solutions. Men and women in our culture today can see that there are major problems and crises, and they can tell us that people are suffering, but when Gods everlasting love is given as the answer to all of the problems and suffering, many elitists outright reject the truth.

Regardless of whether any society accepts or rejects Gods truth, there is still a force in this world that has been set in motion ever since the resurrection of Christ. That force is the Church. Church here means the followers of Jesus Christ, not a particular building or denomination. Jesus Christ established his Church first through the disciples and then, from them, through every man, woman, and child who has come to believe in and confess the Son of God as Lord and Savior. We are the Church, but only a part of it. Many believers have gone before us; many believers live alongside us today; and many more believers may yet live after us in the future.

One of the truths about the nature of God is that He still cares for His creation today. He did not create the universe, set it in motion, and then take an eternal divine holiday. God still works in the lives of His human creation in many, many different ways both direct and indirect. The principle way He has worked in the world is, of course, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As Jesus, God entered His world, lived among His people, and provided Himself the final sacrifice to cleanse us from sin. God saves us.

As I said earlier, the Church consists of the followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus still speaks to his Church. One of the primary places we can learn about what the Church is being told can be found in the book of the Revelation. In our Thursday Bible studies, we have embarked upon a study of Revelation and have been recently studying the messages to the seven churches. I think that it is useful in the early part of this new year if we look at the messages sent to these specific seven churches.

Before considering each specific message, though, I begin with an overall look at Revelation to set the groundwork. Most of us here this morning no doubt have some familiarity with the book of Revelation. Most of us probably think of it as a very difficult book to understand and make sense out of. Most of us probably associate it with prophecies about the second coming of Christ and the end of this age. Well, we think these things about Revelation for good reason: it is difficult to understand, and it does address the second coming of Christ. However, there are also some very good lessons that are taught in the book that can be plainly understood and applied directly to our lives. In this regard, Revelation is very similar to all of the other New Testament books and letters. In the end, it boils down to this: God reveals His will to His human creation, and we either accept His Word or we reject his Word. Can it get any more straightforward than that?

Verse 1 begins, The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must take place soon. Another word that is associated with Revelation and end-time prophecies is apocalypse. Sometimes the book is titled The Apocalypse of John. There is a good reason for this. Our word Revelation comes from a Latin root of the word translated from the Greek apocalypses, which we say apocalypse in our day. The word, whether revelation or apocalypse, means the uncovering, the unveiling, or the disclosing of something. As used by Gods Word, it is the revealing of Jesus Christ, the plans for the future, and instructions and warnings to the Church. See? Revelation is simple!

In the opening chapter, John identifies himself as the author of this message. He is to write down what he sees in a vision brought by an angel of God. This vision, as testified in verse 2, is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and is for the seven churches in the province of Asia.

One of the truths that Jesus tells John in chapter 1 is emphasized in verse 17, Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Just like Hebrews 13, remembering the eternal nature of Jesus and his promises sees us through turbulent times, and that comforts believers. It was to comfort John, and it is to bring comfort to us.

Even in the first chapter, imagery language emerges. John is reporting on this vision being given him, and he has to do what any of us would do: when we see something that is new and different to us, we try to describe it to others in terms we both understand. Imagine someone trying to tell the folks back home in the mountains or desert about seeing a lobster for the first time. Or a tribesman taken from the jungles of Africa to New York City trying to tell his people what he saw. Some of you have seen the Tarzan shows, or similar programs, where someone meets modern civilization for the first time. Imagine the plight of trying to record things like televisions, computers, and cell phones for a people that has no concept of such things. This is Johns plight, trying to write for the Churches what he sees. How can one possibly describe a vision of heaven and of future events to a people of the first century A.D.? How can they be described to a people of the 21^st century A.D.? Its hard, and that is one of the reason why making sense out of the book of Revelation is hard.

In the first chapter, John records seeing seven golden lamp stands and seven stars. Since these symbols show up in other places, we need to consider their meanings. Verse 20 reveals to us, The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.

Even though John and, subsequently, all readers of Revelation are told what the seven stars are, there remains to this day uncertainty about what that means. There are those who think that the reference is literally angels - the messengers from God. Since the Greek word used in the verse, aggelos, also means messenger, there are those who think that the reference is to a great spiritual leader in each of the churches. Some Bible scholars can become pretty dogmatic about their opinion on this, but anyone being honest about it recognizes that we cannot know with certainty who the seven angels, or messengers, of the seven churches are. What we do know from the Scripture is that they have authority over their respective churches, and that they are entrusted with the scroll that is given them through John. The seven churches are much clearer, as we read in verse 11, Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Next Sunday, I will address the significance of each of those churches.

What we learn from John in Revelation 1 is that Christ speaks to his Church. Christ is the Churchs authority. As we are told in verses 8 and 17-18, he is the Almighty - the Lord. Just as he loved and taught his disciples on earth, Christ wants his Church to remember his love and to do his will. He is still engaged and active in the history, the work, the doctrine, and the worship of his Church. Regardless of how difficult or obscure some Revelation passages of Scripture are, we can know this: that Jesus Christ has given the Revelation so that we, his Church, can know him better and so that we can remain secure in his love for us. These are, for all time, wonderful Words of Life.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana
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Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

SEVEN CHURCHES #1

CHRIST SPEAKS TO HIS CHURCH

January 7, 2007

TEXT: Revelation 1:1-3, 9-20

Standing on the threshold of a new year last Sunday, I referenced Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, as our reminder that no matter what may happen in this or any year, Jesus Christ is our foundation. Following Jesus Christ sets us on a course we can follow to get through the most turbulent times. Without keeping this reminder in front of us constantly, we can find ourselves adrift and heading rapidly toward the dangerous rocks that would wreck us.

This is, Im afraid, very descriptive of our culture around us. In last Tuesdays Kokomo Tribune, there are two editorials that speak volumes about our contemporary condition. In a reprinted article from The Herald Bulletin of Anderson, an editorialist asks, Have girls gone wild? Latching on to recent scandals with the Miss USA contestants and others, the writer expresses concern about the direction that girls and young women are heading. We read, We will probably see much more such scandals because it is a sign of the times. The lure of celebrity and fame, strong throughout history, seems to be almost the driving virtue of many young people. Constantly in touch with some kind of media, young people see themselves in others and the more traditional influences - parents, churches, schools - cannot compete with the glitter and fun of celebrities at play. Their point is that young women, and young men, are making poor decisions for fleeting pleasures and ignoring the long-term effects that these decisions can have on their lives. The article ends tepidly, We hope young people searching for role models to emulate find some who embody values beyond themselves. Not a very helpful solution. Another article on the same page offers an excellent solution. Pat Fagan of the Heritage Foundation writes that a powerful resource is quietly and far more effectively contributing to the common good in myriad ways: religious practice. Mr. Fagan informs us in his report that regular attendance at religious services is linked to healthy, stable family life, strong marriages, and well-behaved children. Regular worship attendance is linked to reduced incidents of domestic abuse, crime, substance abuse, addiction, and other social diseases. He delineates many other advantages gained from regular worship attendance. In the first article, one of our many social problems is plainly laid out, but no useful answer is given. In the second article, evidence of the practical good of religious worship - and we believe that to be Christian worship - provides the necessary antidote to the problem described in the first article. Sadly, it is the life-giving antidote that is being thrown out by significant organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. So we are left with lots of problems and no solutions. Men and women in our culture today can see that there are major problems and crises, and they can tell us that people are suffering, but when Gods everlasting love is given as the answer to all of the problems and suffering, many elitists outright reject the truth.

Regardless of whether any society accepts or rejects Gods truth, there is still a force in this world that has been set in motion ever since the resurrection of Christ. That force is the Church. Church here means the followers of Jesus Christ, not a particular building or denomination. Jesus Christ established his Church first through the disciples and then, from them, through every man, woman, and child who has come to believe in and confess the Son of God as Lord and Savior. We are the Church, but only a part of it. Many believers have gone before us; many believers live alongside us today; and many more believers may yet live after us in the future.

One of the truths about the nature of God is that He still cares for His creation today. He did not create the universe, set it in motion, and then take an eternal divine holiday. God still works in the lives of His human creation in many, many different ways both direct and indirect. The principle way He has worked in the world is, of course, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As Jesus, God entered His world, lived among His people, and provided Himself the final sacrifice to cleanse us from sin. God saves us.

As I said earlier, the Church consists of the followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus still speaks to his Church. One of the primary places we can learn about what the Church is being told can be found in the book of the Revelation. In our Thursday Bible studies, we have embarked upon a study of Revelation and have been recently studying the messages to the seven churches. I think that it is useful in the early part of this new year if we look at the messages sent to these specific seven churches.

Before considering each specific message, though, I begin with an overall look at Revelation to set the groundwork. Most of us here this morning no doubt have some familiarity with the book of Revelation. Most of us probably think of it as a very difficult book to understand and make sense out of. Most of us probably associate it with prophecies about the second coming of Christ and the end of this age. Well, we think these things about Revelation for good reason: it is difficult to understand, and it does address the second coming of Christ. However, there are also some very good lessons that are taught in the book that can be plainly understood and applied directly to our lives. In this regard, Revelation is very similar to all of the other New Testament books and letters. In the end, it boils down to this: God reveals His will to His human creation, and we either accept His Word or we reject his Word. Can it get any more straightforward than that?

Verse 1 begins, The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must take place soon. Another word that is associated with Revelation and end-time prophecies is apocalypse. Sometimes the book is titled The Apocalypse of John. There is a good reason for this. Our word Revelation comes from a Latin root of the word translated from the Greek apocalypses, which we say apocalypse in our day. The word, whether revelation or apocalypse, means the uncovering, the unveiling, or the disclosing of something. As used by Gods Word, it is the revealing of Jesus Christ, the plans for the future, and instructions and warnings to the Church. See? Revelation is simple!

In the opening chapter, John identifies himself as the author of this message. He is to write down what he sees in a vision brought by an angel of God. This vision, as testified in verse 2, is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and is for the seven churches in the province of Asia.

One of the truths that Jesus tells John in chapter 1 is emphasized in verse 17, Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Just like Hebrews 13, remembering the eternal nature of Jesus and his promises sees us through turbulent times, and that comforts believers. It was to comfort John, and it is to bring comfort to us.

Even in the first chapter, imagery language emerges. John is reporting on this vision being given him, and he has to do what any of us would do: when we see something that is new and different to us, we try to describe it to others in terms we both understand. Imagine someone trying to tell the folks back home in the mountains or desert about seeing a lobster for the first time. Or a tribesman taken from the jungles of Africa to New York City trying to tell his people what he saw. Some of you have seen the Tarzan shows, or similar programs, where someone meets modern civilization for the first time. Imagine the plight of trying to record things like televisions, computers, and cell phones for a people that has no concept of such things. This is Johns plight, trying to write for the Churches what he sees. How can one possibly describe a vision of heaven and of future events to a people of the first century A.D.? How can they be described to a people of the 21^st century A.D.? Its hard, and that is one of the reason why making sense out of the book of Revelation is hard.

In the first chapter, John records seeing seven golden lamp stands and seven stars. Since these symbols show up in other places, we need to consider their meanings. Verse 20 reveals to us, The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.

Even though John and, subsequently, all readers of Revelation are told what the seven stars are, there remains to this day uncertainty about what that means. There are those who think that the reference is literally angels - the messengers from God. Since the Greek word used in the verse, aggelos, also means messenger, there are those who think that the reference is to a great spiritual leader in each of the churches. Some Bible scholars can become pretty dogmatic about their opinion on this, but anyone being honest about it recognizes that we cannot know with certainty who the seven angels, or messengers, of the seven churches are. What we do know from the Scripture is that they have authority over their respective churches, and that they are entrusted with the scroll that is given them through John. The seven churches are much clearer, as we read in verse 11, Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Next Sunday, I will address the significance of each of those churches.

What we learn from John in Revelation 1 is that Christ speaks to his Church. Christ is the Churchs authority. As we are told in verses 8 and 17-18, he is the Almighty - the Lord. Just as he loved and taught his disciples on earth, Christ wants his Church to remember his love and to do his will. He is still engaged and active in the history, the work, the doctrine, and the worship of his Church. Regardless of how difficult or obscure some Revelation passages of Scripture are, we can know this: that Jesus Christ has given the Revelation so that we, his Church, can know him better and so that we can remain secure in his love for us. These are, for all time, wonderful Words of Life.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana

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