July 11, 2021
Have you ever read someone else’s mail?
Maybe it was from some famous person, the letter was encased in a
library or museum showcase for everyone to see.
Or maybe you found it in an attic, stowed away in a long-forgotten
suitcase or chest. You never knew the
person who wrote, or got the letter, so you felt like you missed some of what
the letter was all about. There were
references to old stuff, like horse and buggy days. Or maybe the problems with loading a musket,
and how unreliable they were when hunting bear.
Well, Revelation is not anything like that. The reason for that becomes clear in chapters
2 and 3 as John records that Jesus told him to write seven letters to the
churches. Although Jesus names them
specifically, it becomes clearer as you read that these are letters to ALL
the churches, from that day down to this moment in time, right here in
Seagrove. This isn’t just the mailbag
contents for the post offices in Asia Minor; this is our mail…letters from the
Lord.
Today we see the first three, so gear-up with
your Bible in hand and heart, mind, and soul all alert; we’re getting our
instructions from the Commander in Chief.
(And that has nothing to do with Washington, D.C.!)
We’re going to look at three churches and what
Jesus had to say about, and to them.
There will be a word in each letter for each of us…three words actually:
·
evaluation of the church’s service
·
reproach for the church’s sluggishness, and
·
encouragement to the church for stirring-up their love
for Christ.
First up in our mailbag is the letter to Ephesus:
I.
Ephesus: Backslidden – in need of Repenting
“Write this
letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the
seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold
lampstands: “I know all the things you
do. I have seen your hard work and your
patient endurance. I know you don’t
tolerate evil people. You have examined
the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You
have patiently suffered for me without quitting. “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at
first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at
first. If you don’t repent, I will come
and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. But
this is in your favor: You hate the evil
deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen
to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give
fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:1-7
You don’t love me like you used to! You don’t
need to go further with that one. Jesus
talks about first love, and how the folks at Ephesus had
been so committed, hot in the battle against false apostles, and other evils of
their day. Now…not so much! That’s not just a B-grade movie, or romance
novel. That is worked out daily in
believer’s lives and the life of the church.
Many people start out energetic and committed to serve Christ, but
somewhere along the way, the cold-water committee gets ahold of them; worse –
they join the committee and spread the misery.
For Ephesus (and for us) the word Jesus offered
was repent. This was evaluation mixed with consolation
and warning. To repent is to change your
mind and behavior. It means, go back to
your first love. Get re-engaged, and let
God re-energize your love life with the Lord.
And this isn’t a one-revival-service fix. This is a commitment of life, soul, and
body. In poker terms, this is all-in –
nothing is held back. You’re all His,
and He promises to be all yours.
What I wouldn’t give to see the church altar
filled once again with tears soaking the carpet. Well…preacher…lead the way!
The next page in the mailbox was first read in
Smyrna:
II.
Smyrna: Poor – in need of Faith’s Riches
“Write this
letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the
First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: “I know about your suffering
and your poverty—but you are rich! I
know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not,
because their synagogue belongs to Satan. Don’t be afraid
of what you are about to suffer. The
devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing
death, I will give you the crown of life. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to
the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by
the second death. Revelation 2:8-11
There are two warnings to the church here –
poverty and persecution. Persecution
kind of speaks for itself. Since Jesus’
day it’s estimated there have been some 70 million martyrs for the faith.
Church history records that the church
experienced some seven million martyrs at the hands of 10 different emperors in
the Roman Empire. Nearly 2 million of
them occurred in the first two centuries after Jesus lived. There was enough reason for Jesus to give the
folks at Smyrna some encouragement about being persecuted.
Persecution holds no eternal threat. Jesus told us not to fear those who could
kill the body, but rather God, who has control over the body AND your
soul.
“Don’t be
afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch
your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in
hell. Matthew 10:28
But what of poverty? Why is that lumped-in with persecution? The fact is that the enticement and
intimidation of riches can compel those who are poor to take their eye off the
ball of serving God, and letting money have its place. Just look at the numbers of untold millions
who stand in line for lottery tickets; they don’t want to be have-nots
anymore; they want what the haves have!
Truth be told, poverty claims more lives
(spiritually-speaking) than the hatred of persecution. And by this we don’t mean physical
life, as when homeless people starve, or sickness is raging. We are talking about the poverty of faith –
when people choose the material goods and pleasures of this life over God’s
promises of eternal riches. There may
have been 70 million martyred for the faith in the two-thousand years since
Jesus, but there are twice that many alive today, just in America who have
turned their back on God…have no church, no faith, and no salvation. If you add in the rest of humanity just in
2021, materialism is claiming billions of souls! Jesus gave the folks at Smyrna a message of
hope, so they would be faithful, because God was willing to give them eternal
blessings.
III.
Pergamum: Called – in need of Courage
“Write this
letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the
sharp two-edged sword: “I know that you live in the city where
Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my
faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city. “But I have a few complaints against
you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who
showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered
to idols and by committing sexual sin. In a similar way,
you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching. Repent
of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the
sword of my mouth. “Anyone
with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to
the churches. To everyone who is
victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and
on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one
who receives it. Revelation
2:12-17
The third page in the mailbag goes to Pergamum
(Pergamos in some translations). Jesus’ complaint with this group of believers
was not that they didn’t believe; they just weren’t into correcting corrupt
behavior. They tolerated the likes of
Balaam in the church. Balaam was a false
prophet who only wanted the money he could get (Balaam was the TV smiling
evangelist of the first century).
Also on their church roll were the Nicolaitans, epicureans – those who
are the party-hearty group, eat-drink-and-be-merry…only having a good time
matters. The church is called to be
different than these; we are not called to be like every other church,
successful by worldly standards. Rather
we are called to be what our calling is, here, in this place, for this moment,
honoring the Christ.
How are we to do that? No matter
what time it is, nor what public opinion is going viral these days, nor what it
might cost us in popularity, income, or opportunity, wherever the conversation
begins, we must take the conversation cross-country to Jesus. It’s that simple! John said Jesus promised gifts for those who
will cooperate with this calling; more precisely, three
gifts:
THE TABLE
Jesus promised heavenly manna for
overcomers. He is referring to the food
with which God fed Israel
during their wanderings in the wilderness.
However, it is not physical food, but spiritual kingdom. Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life.
When we gather at the Lord's Table, and
in humility, confess our sins, eating the bread of life, we submit to the one
who has power to make us overcomers.
THE TABLETS
In ancient times the white stone was a symbol of
acquittal from a jury. Friends sometimes
gave each other gifts of small white marble, cut to fit a hand, engraved with
words of kindness. When we bow at the
foot of Jesus, confessing our sins, he buries our sins in the sea of
forgetfulness, and posts a "no fishing" sign -- forever.
THE TITLE
A new name.
Friends, this is not the name of Jesus – rather it’s a new name of
friendship and power that only Jesus and you will know. It may be a literal, lingual name, a name
that sounds differently. Abram became
Abraham. Saul became the beloved Apostle
Paul.
However, I believe that it is more. I believe it is that certain something Jesus
places deep down inside us when we are saved.
It is the quiet understanding of salvation...an assurance, knowing that
He is Lord, and you are His. It is the
newness of relationship that you cannot really explain, touch, smell or know,
apart from a personal relationship with Jesus.
In ancient days, if a child fell ill, and the
situation worsened to the point of fearing for life, and the doctors could not
help, the father would stand over his child and give him a new name. It wouldn't be just any name, but one of a
great and valiant warrior, or the name of a respected and strong
individual. The thinking was that the
name carried authority. The child would
become a new person in that name, and the disease must capitulate.
This is the overcoming,
beloved; this is allowing Jesus to take complete control of your life at the
cross, with His blood, with His love, with His power. The disease of sin is no longer in
control. When you surrender to that
power daily, there is nothing the world can do; you are an overcomer in Christ.
Years ago when hurricane Andrew hit the Southeast
coast of Florida, a TV reporter went into one area in Homestead. As he surveyed the devastation the camera settled
on one lone house which stood largely undamaged. It was the only house standing for
blocks. The owner was surveying his
minor damage. The reporter asked how it
was possible for the house to stand when all others fell. This was the man's
answer...I built this house myself. I also built it according to the Florida State building code. When the code called for 2X6 roof trusses, I
used 2X6 roof trusses. I was told that a
house built according to code could withstand a hurricane. I did, and it did. I suppose no one else around here followed
the code."
There is a code written in the table, the tablets,
and the title. Is the house of your life
built according to the code? Are you an
overcomer? Do you answer the call? Have you been renamed? The church today is in dire need of this
commitment.
David
R. Culver, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin in LEADERSHIP/'93, Winter 1993, p.49
