David Pawson - Letters of Jesus Part 1 

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THOUGHTFUL THOUGHTS 22.5.26  BY JOHN DUNNING;- 

REVELATION, part 1B;- chapters 1-3.

INTRODUCTION…

We can still learn from the lessons from the first three chapters of Revelation, as they are not only part of the history of the Christian church, but also they are the teaching of Jesus. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

These first chapters in Revelation are the easiest to understand… The closer these churches were to what Jesus called Satan’s throne, the greater the persecution, and Jesus taught in Matthew 24 that things will get worse before they get better. They will only get better permanently after Jesus returns. 

A). OVERVIEW

-Revelation chapter 1 

Chapter 1 provides an introduction where John explains that he is taken in a vision to heaven. He hears the voice of God who has charge of multiple heavenly armies. Then John sees the ‘One who looked like a Son of Man’, who was also the beginning and end of everything, and His glory caused John to collapse to the ground in a heap. 

What John saw was not how he remembered seeing Jesus the Messiah when He was on earth. Now when he saw Jesus as He really is, (His ‘parousia’) John’s legs gave way at the majestic sight, causing him to collapse

-Revelation chapter 2-3

Chapters 2-3 Jesus writes letters to seven churches, to encourage them to keep on, keeping on. Some believers were already becoming like the culture around them, whilst others were facing severe persecution. 

Jesus had a message for John to send to the seven churches. Even though they were written to specific churches two thousand years ago, we will see that they are still relevant today.

-Revelation chapters following the letters to the churches…

Jesus moves from the present time of John’s day, to what we call “end times”…

After details of Ch. 1-3 below, we will be moving on to chapters about the future…

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B). DETAILS OF MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES…

1). The church at Ephesus had true doctrine but was warned for having lost its love for the Lord;  (Revelation 2:1-7.) This can happen to us too.

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2). The church at Smyrna was going through severe persecution, so Jesus encouraged it. In Jesus’ eyes, the churches that had real value were the ones that were faithful, (and not the rich ones). Jesus says “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty but you are rich… Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life… He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death”, (Rev. 2:9-11). 

This is as relevant today because persecution is increasing worldwide.

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3). The church at Pergamos was given a warning for being a compromising church; (2:12-170). How did that happen?

The problems caused by Satan… 

Jesus said that Satan had his residence at Pergamon, which was very close to two of the churches. Jesus called this building ‘Satan’s throne’. That structure was an altar the size of a building from which sacrifices went up continuously. It was in the shape of an armchair, and was found by archaeologists who moved it to Berlin, where it is now located in a purpose-built building, called “The Pergamon Building”. (See the image of the actual Pergamon altar in Revelation 2:12-17.)

The churches that were further away from this ‘temple of Satan’ were not being challenged quite as much. Some Christians were valuing their privileges more than their principles and had become “lukewarm” in their faith. The churches that had the most money were the ones Jesus called spiritually ‘poor’, and which Jesus threatened to close down. 

However, the ones that were ‘rich’ in Jesus’ eyes, were the ones with the least money. (Rev. 3:19.) Jesus said, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

This message needs to be heeded by the so-called ‘prosperity movement’. 

4). The church at Thyatira was given a serious warning for being a sexually immoral church, (2:18-29). Today, this has become even more true than ever before.

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5). The church at Sardis was warned about becoming a dead church, (3:1-6).

I think all of us will know churches where this is true now.

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6). The church at Philadelphia was encouraged for being such a faithful church in 3:7-13. The Barnabas Fund posts prayer requests for the persecuted church. 

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7). Finally, the Laodicean church was warned for having become a lukewarm church; (3:14-22). Jesus told the church at Laodicea (in Rev.3:20) that if someone opened the door to Him, then He would come in. Jesus wasn’t even welcome in their gatherings. The church was just going along quite happily without Him!

Some churches just copy whatever the culture of the day is, so this message applies to them today.

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C). EPILOGUE

Jesus said

-a). “No man can come to the Father but by Me’.
-b). “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by me”. (Peter adds in Acts 4.12, ‘there is no other name under heaven by which man can be saved’.)

-c). “You must be Born Again”.

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Jesus had His disciples do the ‘immersing’, (baptising), of repenting believers, for Him. They were ‘immersing’ even more than John the Baptist. We are only disciples to the extent that we are obedient. Disciples obey the one they follow. Jesus authorized His disciples to teach. They have told us what Jesus taught in the New Testament. God’s family is made up of those who have God’s Holy Spirit living in them, and you can start the journey of being in God’s family just by following Peter’s advice in Acts 2:38. He said, “Repent, and be immersed, (in Greek, ‘baptise’,) in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”, after a man asked Peter what he had to do to be saved in Acts 2:37.

No church or organisation can save as the church at Pergamos discovered…. Only Jesus can save. Some denominations teach that membership of their church is enough to save you through christening. Others teach that you join God’s family when they “christen” a baby, That is not the teaching of the Bible. To join God’s family we need to follow what Peter tells us Jesus taught. Do share this study with your friends…

This is John Dunning signing off from “Thoughtful Thoughts” for another week.

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