1 / 9

– Revelation – The Living One Walks Among Us 2. The Letters to the 7 Churches

– Revelation – The Living One Walks Among Us 2. The Letters to the 7 Churches. Revelation 2: 1-7 p. 1138. Letters to the Seven Churches. Letdown – the conditions in the 7 churches Need to maintain historical perspective In their 5 th or 6 th decade Second generation believers

hoyt-chan
Download Presentation

– Revelation – The Living One Walks Among Us 2. The Letters to the 7 Churches

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. – Revelation –The Living One Walks Among Us2. The Letters to the 7 Churches Revelation 2: 1-7 p. 1138

  2. Letters to the Seven Churches • Letdown – the conditions in the 7 churches • Need to maintain historical perspective • In their 5th or 6thdecade • Second generation believers • Have become something of a mixed bag • Ephesus – • City the Crown Jewel of Asia • Censure (v 4) “forsaken the love you had at first” • Commended far more than they are censured

  3. 1. Commendations (v2-3, 6)‏ • Nicolaitians (v. 6) – Don’t have a clue who they are • The 3 commendations (v 2-3)‏ • I know your deeds – hard work and perseverance • You cannot tolerate wicked people • You have persevered and endured hardship • Focus this morning on the first and third of these

  4. 1. Commendations … • God knows our deeds – intended as Good News • Good deeds are for the sake of others • Not to be lauded by others • Not to earn points with God • Looking after the needs of others • Love of Neighbour

  5. 1. Commendations … • They have persevered and endured hardships … … and not grown weary! • To not grow weary seems impossible • The kind of fatigue that thinks – “what’s the use?” • They had kept at it

  6. 2. Their only Censure (v 4)‏ • “Forsaken the love you had at first” • What would this mean if Christ said it to us personally? • The Lord takes a slacking off of love very seriously • Love is a tough word here • Goes in 2 directions at once • Feelings of emotional tenderness • Selfless action towards others • Each of us needs to ask – is it love that moves us to action? • Christ own response to them – • They have fallen a long ways and need to repent • Not addressed to Individuals: Applies to the church as a whole • Urge us to listen to what the Spirit might say to us

  7. 3. Promise (v 7)‏ • Not to the Church – but to individuals • REPENT by returning to the Love we had at first • How should Ihear what Christ says to University Chapel? • “Churches” is plural – a word for all churches • The Promise to those who are victorious • Takes us back to the garden of Eden (Gen 2:3)‏ • The Tree of Life • All who have been faithful – given the right to eat of the Tree • Not because we deserve it – because of God’s Grace & mercy

More Related