SERIES: The Seven Churches Archives

Andy Sochor February 5, 2024

The Seven Churches: Conclusion

In this series, we have studied the letters to the seven churches of Asia found at the beginning of the book of Revelation. Each of these churches faced different challenges, yet they were given the same basic message – to remember that they belonged to Christ and that He would reward them if they remained faithful.

While this basic message can be found in each of the seven letters, we noticed different lessons that are relevant for us today. No matter what the condition of the local church we are members of, there are admonitions and warnings that we must heed.

Like the church in Ephesus, we need to remember why we do what we do in service to God. It is not enough to simply “go through the motions” if our heart is not right. If we do the right thing with the wrong motivation, we will fail to please the Lord. Everything we do must be motivated by our love for Christ.
Like the church in Smyrna, we need to be willing to face whatever persecutions come against us, knowing that these tribulations are only temporary. Even if we must die for our faith, we have a “crown of life” awaiting us.
Like the church in Pergamum, we must not accept false teachers. As the world becomes increasingly hostile toward Christ and His church, it will be more tempting to ignore error that creeps in among us. Yet false teachers must be marked and avoided so they do not lead us into sin.
Like the church in Thyatira, we must not be tolerant of sin. It may help us avoid persecution if we live like the world, yet the Lord wants His people to be different. If our brethren are caught up in sin, we must try to restore them to repentance. However, if they refuse to repent, we cannot continue in fellowship with them, lest the sinful influence spreads like leaven through the church.
Like the church in Sardis, we need to maintain our reputation of faithfulness. It is good to have developed a reputation for the good works we have done and the stands we have made for the truth in the past. Yet we must not become complacent and rest upon what we have done before. We need to keep our good name by continuing to faithfully serve the Lord.
Like the church in Philadelphia, we need to use our opportunities for good. Even if we are part of a smaller congregation, we can still have a big impact for the Lord. Rather than focusing on our limitations, we need to use the time, resources, and opportunities we have been blessed with to the glory of God.
Like the church in Laodicea, we need to recognize our dependence upon the Lord. God has richly blessed us in this life. Yet Satan tries to use our prosperity against us by tempting us to put our trust in physical things rather than in God, who blesses us with all things (physical and spiritual). Instead of becoming “lukewarm” in our spiritual lives, we need to be zealous in the Lord’s service.

The Lord concluded each of the seven letters with this phrase: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). Though these letters were addressed to individual congregations, they were shared among them and with all who read these words today.

We need to pay attention to what the Lord said to these churches. We need to follow their example in the ways they were commended. We need to avoid doing those things for which they were condemned. We must never forget that we belong to Christ and have a responsibility to faithfully serve Him – individually and collectively – as we go through life, no matter what challenges come before us.

As we close this study, let us briefly notice a few reminders from the end of the book of Revelation that relate to what we have discussed in these lessons:

Continue to obey the Lord – “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14, NKJV).
Do not change His word – “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).
Eagerly await His coming – “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

The Lord has given us His word to guide us in this life and show us how to please Him. Let us not change His word to suit our preferences; instead, let us humbly submit to His will as we look forward to His return, knowing that He will keep His promise to reward the faithful.

Filed Under: SERIES: The Seven Churches Tagged With: church

Andy Sochor January 29, 2024

The Seven Churches (Part 7): Laodicea

The seventh and final church addressed in the book of Revelation was in Laodicea. They had the unfortunate distinction of being the only one of the seven churches to receive no positive comments from the Lord. They had reached the point where they believed they were fully self-sufficient and did not need the Lord. If we are not careful, we could easily follow their negative example.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 3:14-22).

Andy Sochor January 22, 2024

The Seven Churches (Part 6): Philadelphia

The sixth church addressed in the book of Revelation was in Philadelphia. This is the only place where this city is mentioned in the Bible. It was likely a smaller church, yet the Lord told them about their great opportunity to spread the gospel.

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 3:7-13).

Filed Under: SERIES: The Seven Churches Tagged With: evangelism, opportunities

Andy Sochor January 15, 2024

The Seven Churches (Part 5): Sardis

Sardis was the fifth church addressed by the Lord at the beginning of the book of Revelation. There is no other mention of this church or the city elsewhere in the New Testament. Like the previous church (Thyatira), nothing is said about them experiencing persecution. However, this may have been because they were not living up to their reputation as a faithful church.

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 3:1-6).

Filed Under: SERIES: The Seven Churches Tagged With: faith, reputation

Andy Sochor January 8, 2024

The Seven Churches (Part 4): Thyatira

The fourth church the Lord addressed at the beginning of the book of Revelation was in Thyatira. This is the only mention of this church in the New Testament. However, there was a notable convert in Philippi who was from the city of Thyatira. This church was not facing persecution as many others were, yet the Lord warned them not to tolerate the sin that had crept in among them.

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 2:18-29).

Filed Under: SERIES: The Seven Churches Tagged With: fellowship, sin, tolerance

Andy Sochor January 1, 2024

The Seven Churches (Part 3): Pergamum

The church in Pergamum, or Pergamos (KJV, NKJV), was the third church addressed by the Lord at the beginning of the book of Revelation. Like the church discussed in the previous lesson (Smyrna), this church and city are mentioned nowhere else in the New Testament. Also like Smyrna, the church in Pergamum experienced persecution. One of their number had even been killed as a result. Yet the Lord warned them not to compromise the truth, even in the face of persecution.

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it’” (Revelation 2:12-17).

Filed Under: SERIES: The Seven Churches Tagged With: false teachers, false teaching, persecution, tolerance

Andy Sochor December 25, 2023

The Seven Churches (Part 2): Smyrna

The second church addressed by the Lord in the book of Revelation was the church in Smyrna. Neither the church nor the city are mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament. Yet the Lord’s letter to them provides a message of hope because the tribulations they were experiencing at that moment would not last long.

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death’” (Revelation 2:8-11).

Filed Under: SERIES: The Seven Churches Tagged With: hope, persecution, trials