God's Message to the Seven Churches: Part 1 - Introduction

Few years ago, we went through the latter portion of the book of Revelation beginning in chapter four through the end, looking at the time of the tribulation period. Back a few months ago, we also studied prophecy leading to the rapture and a little bit about the return of Christ to come afterwards. We didn't go into a great a great deal of specifics concerning the tribulation period. Since I've been here, we have not covered in detail the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation and we're not going to really cover chapter one in a great amount of detail this evening but we're going to spend a good amount of time on chapters two and three as we look at God's messages to the seven churches that John is writing to or sending this letter to the book of Revelation. There is much we could look at from chapter one, but we're basically using this as introduction to the messages that we read about in chapters two and three concerning the churches.

So, from that perspective, we will be looking at chapter one this evening. We are going to begin by reading the first by reading the first chapter, and then we will come back and look at it in a bit more detail in just a few minutes. So, let's read together. Revelation chapter one. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him to show unto his servants the things which must shortly come to pass, and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John, who bear record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw.

Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand. John to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall bewail him shall bewail because of him. Even so, amen.

I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come, the almighty. I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am alpha and omega, the first and the last and what seest, what thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus and Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, or Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps with a golden girdle.

His head and his hairs were white like wool and as white as the snow, his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like undefined brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, And he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me, fear not, I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore.

Amen. And have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks, the seven stars of the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. So, we begin this evening by looking at the source of this revelation.

What is the source of God's revelation to man? Concerning the church and concerning also the end times to come. That source is clearly identified by John emphatically in Revelation chapter one. He leaves no question as to who the source of this revelation is. Whose revelation it belongs to whom it belongs?

It is the revelation of Jesus Christ as he says in the very first phrase of the very first chapter. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him to show unto his servants, which must shortly come to pass, and he signified and sent it by his angel unto his servant John. Jesus Christ is mentioned several times throughout this chapter. Essentially, everything in the history of mankind and in the future yet to come, all revolves around who? It all revolves around Jesus Christ.

It doesn't revolve around the kings of this earth, it doesn't revolve around their kingdoms, it doesn't revolve around their actions, their battles, their wars, their feats, their successes, their failures. It revolves around the creator of this world, the sustainer of this world, and the king of kings and Lord of lords of this world which is Jesus Christ. The book of Revelation along with the messages to the seven churches tells us of the return of the king to this earth to claim his proper place. It tells of the coming judgment of the king upon his servants that have rebelled against him. And it tells of his eternal kingdom that he that we will enjoy with him as his children and subjects for all eternity in a place called the New Jerusalem.

The Book of Revelation is about Jesus Christ and he is the source of it. This is simply not the thoughts, ideas, or hallucinations of a man named John. It isn't guesswork. It isn't things that he put together of his own will and accord, intelligence, it is the divine revelation of the creator of the universe, Jesus Christ. It describes him in verses five through eight.

It describes him again in verses 13 through 16. Let's look at those if we would, at those descriptions. Really, is described all throughout the entire chapter. We'll zero in on these verses. Verse five, it says, and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness.

He is the faithful witness. We looked in John chapter three this morning. Jesus came to Nicodemus and he said, that he was the one who had come where? Come down from heaven. No man ascended up to heaven, come down from heaven except for one, and that is Jesus Christ.

He came down from heaven. He ascended back up into heaven. One day, he'll return from heaven again to take his rightful place as king on earth. But Jesus Christ has a unique perspective. Jesus Christ is a firsthand witness to everything that happens because Jesus is God.

And so, he is the authority. He's the authority on the past. He's authority on the present, and he is the authority on all things to come. So, though it's neat to go back and study history, I like history. I sort of collect old history books.

I don't read them all that much, I collect them. I'm sure some of you have similar habits. I have all kinds of books I would like to read. Most of them, a lot of them I don't ever get around to reading. But but history is a wonderful thing because it is his story.

It's the story of how God is working in this world to bring about his almighty plan. But the historians are in many cases, erroneous. They don't have all the facts. Matter of fact, a lot of times, they don't have hardly any of the facts. But yet it's neat to read their stories and to read about things that happened even though we may not have all the facts.

But when it comes to what the history we read in scripture, we have everything just as God intended and what God has recorded there, we can trust. He is the authority. Those are the facts. We do not have to go and dig up places in Israel in order to confirm the accuracy of Scripture. We can use the Scripture to confirm what archaeologists find.

If they say they find something that is contrary to that, I choose that to them because they, like other men, make mistakes. But God does not. When it comes to the present, particularly here concerning the church, the faithful witness Jesus Christ has all the facts and the future as well. He is the faithful witness. Boy, I could spend too much time on this, we'll never get out of here.

He is the first begotten of the dead. He rose again from the dead, he is the first fruits from the dead, and because he is, we have served a risen savior, we are promised that one day, as he defeated death, that we too will be resurrected and given bodies like unto his. He is the prince of the king of the earth. It says in Isaiah chapter nine, unto us a child is born on for unto us, a child is born unto us, a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And we will not have peace until the Prince of Peace comes to rule and reign on planet Earth.

It is he who loved us so much that he washed us from our sins with his blood on Calvary's Cross. Not that we deserved it, but because he chose to love us as his precious creation and die for us that we might spend eternity with him. He has made us, therefore, as it says here, to be kings and priests with him. He is the high priest. He is the king of kings and Lord of lords.

But we, as his children, will rule and reign with him. It says that he will come in the clouds. Look if you would in verse seven, Behold, he cometh with clouds. Daniel chapter seven verse thirteen and fourteen, I saw in the night visions and behold one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him, and there was given him dominion and glory in a kingdom that all people, nations, languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away in his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

He is pictured earlier in the book of Daniel as that stone that is carved out of the mountain that that hits the statue of the kingdoms of men and turns it to dust which blow away and then becomes a great mountain in the earth. That is Jesus Christ our king and of his kingdom. And he shall come in the clouds and every eye shall see him. It says in Matthew twenty four thirty, And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. This is not speaking of the rapture.

Not every eye shall see Jesus when he meets us in the air, but they will see him when he returns to the earth at the end of the tribulation, to the Mount Of Olives and reclaims his kingdom from the rule of men and from his adversary, the devil. It says that it says here in verse seven, and they which also they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Look if you would up here, Zechariah twelve ten, and I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn of him as one mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him is one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. John is simply echoing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, prophecies that had been given way back in Old Testament times concerning the return of Jesus Christ and of his faithful witness of his death, of his resurrection, and of the salvation that he brings to all those who put their faith and trust in him.

He is the alpha and omega. He is the Lord, the Almighty One, referred to in verse eight. Look if you would down in verse 13, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, which we'll come to in a minute, one like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool and as white as snow and his eyes were a flame of fire. His feet like undefined brass as if they burn in a furnace.

His voice is the sound of many waters. This is another description of Jesus Christ. He is uniquely in scripture given this title, the Son of Man. We read the Son of Man in Daniel seven, used the same terminology in Matthew 24. Also, here in Matthew 26, it says, Jesus say it unto him, who is he talking to?

If I remember correctly, he's talking to Pilate. Pilate asked him, are you the Messiah, essentially? Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus in response simply said this, thou hast said, nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter you shall see the son of man, that's a reference to the Messiah, sitting on the right hand of power and coming what? And coming in the clouds of heaven.

As the disciples stood around looking up in the air when Jesus Christ ascended up into heaven, two men in white apparel appeared by them, angels, and said unto them, why do you, why are you standing here looking up? This same Jesus who departed to heaven will also come in what? Like manner as you see him, as you saw him go. He left from the Mount Of Olives in the clouds. He'll return to the Mount Of Olives in the clouds.

Just as all of these scriptures say and just as is echoed here by John. It gives a description of the son of man. Here he is in the midst of the seven candlesticks or lampstands which are the seven churches we'll look at in just a moment. Him being in the midst of them indicates that there is a relationship that he shares. A relationship where he is the what?

He is the centerpiece. They all what? They all surround him. He has a robe with a golden belt, indicative of someone who might be a judge. He has hair white as wool, speaking of wisdom and justice.

Eyes a flame of fire, feet as brass that is burned in a furnace, speaking of judgment. He has a voice with the sound of many waters. Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Anybody ever been in here to Niagara Falls? Okay.

Can you stand near Niagara Falls and talk in a soft voice to the person beside you and hope to be heard? The answer is no, you can't. The crash of the waters at Niagara Falls is so loud that if all of a sudden the fall should stop, you would hear everybody yelling at each other. Have you ever I've been standing by the road or standing by some other noisy place before, and I'm I'm I'm talking to somebody, I'm having to yell and all of a sudden the noise stops and you're ah, it's like, oh, sorry. Because you have to talk so loud to get above the sound that is is overpowering and that's the point here.

As the sound of Niagara Falls, the the the of that water crashing, the sound of God's voices overwhelming, overwhelming. Speaks of his power. And his authority. He had in his right hand seven stars, as we will see a little later in our passage, they are seven angels that represent the seven churches. And out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword.

That is also mentioned in Revelation 19 as well at his second coming. And once again speaks of his judgment. And His right and His power. And then the brightness and the glory of His countenance, His face, is as the sun shineth in His strength. What are you told when you are very little about the sun?

Don't look directly at it. Now, when the sun is high in the sky on a clear day, you can't look directly at it. It is so bright, you turn away. Now, when it gets down near the horizon or if you've got sunglasses on, you might be tempted, and that's why parents don't look at the sun. Because even if the sun doesn't look that bright, the rays from it can burn your eyes.

But but the sun is so bright, you just can't look at it for very long. Remember on the road to Damascus, when God appeared unto Saul, immediately, he the the the glory of God knocked him to his down on the ground and blinded him. Remember Moses, he saw just the hinder part of God and when he came down off the mountain, he had to put a veil over his face for his face shown with the glory of God. No man has seen God at any time in his in his glorified state. For we could not stand to look upon him.

This is the one who is the centerpiece of the church. This is the one who this revelation comes from and is about. This is the one who is sending a message to these churches by his prophet John. He is the one who has redeemed us. Without him, there would be no church.

Without him, there would be no salvation. Without him, there would be no heaven for us. Praise God for Jesus Christ, our savior, who is all of this and more? I had to rush through that this evening because I want to get on to the seven churches. So, we'll continue on our way.

The conduit of the revelation. We see the source of the revelation, the conduit or the messenger is the apostle John, okay? Back to verse verse one, it says, at the end of verse one, it says, and he sent, that is Jesus, and signified it by his angel unto his servant, John. In verse nine, we read, I John, who also am a brother, I mean a brother in Christ, and companion in tribulation, in suffering, in the world for Christ, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. That is for his testifying of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, he was sent there.

So, the messenger, the conduit of this message is the apostle John. And, the Apostle John is also the writer of the Gospel of John, he is also the writer of First, Second, Second, and Third John, and finally, the Book of Revelation. He is distinct from John the Baptist, they are two different individuals. John the Baptist did not write any of the books of the New Testament. He outlived all of the other disciples, it would seem, who were martyred.

He is still alive here circa ninety to ninety five AD. Now, up in years and the last one of the disciples to pass away. He is the overseer of the churches in Asia to whom this revelation is ascribed. He spent a good deal of the last portion of his ministry, ministering as it would seem in the churches to whom he is writing. Thus, the reason he is sending this revelation specifically to those seven churches.

He has been exiled to the Isle Of Patmos by order of Rome for the communication, the spreading of a seditious heresy that they called Christianity. That is why, where we find the Apostle John. On this map, we see to the right the what would that be, Western Side Of Turkey. Okay? The landmass to your right is Turkey.

Across the Aegean Sea to the left, off the left side of the map is Greece. Okay? You can't see that. In John's day, this section of Turkey was actually sometimes referred to as Asia. All of Turkey is sometimes referred to as Asia Minor, and this part here on the western side also as Myceus.

This is the area in which John had been ministering. He was exiled let me blow it back up again a little bit here. He is exiled to a place off the coast here on the left where the red balloon is, to a little barren island called Patmos. He spent several months or years of his life exiled to this place where Rome felt he could not harm, I guess, the people of the Roman Empire being out on maroon, so to speak, on this little island. However, God saw fit to record and preserve and get this letter of revelation that he wrote to these churches to whom he wrote it that we'll talk about in just a moment.

This is a picture today of the Isle Of Patmos. It looks a little bit green from this particular perspective, but it isn't exactly a lush island. It is quite rocky and hilly. There are now, you can see some civilization down there and there is a port in Patmos. But in John's day, there was no civilization much to speak of, and not a lot of green.

This was considered probably to be a death sentence and certainly a prison for John, a punishment. And it is on this isle that God brings to John this revelation. He brings to him this revelation in the form of a vision. We have this vision which Christ came to him and and then we have another vision. The two are considered one in verse one of Revelation concerning the end times.

Look, if you would, in verse 10. It says in Revelation one ten, and I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. Look in verse 12, he says, and I turned to see the voice that spake with me and being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks. It would appear based upon the context that this is a vision that God is giving to John, and he is describing what he is seeing. He is not sitting physically surrounded by seven lampstands, but in his vision, what he is seeing he is and that he is describing for us.

This was a common way for God to reveal messages and revelation to people throughout the scriptures, through the prophets. Genesis fifteen one, after these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abraham in a vision saying, fear not Abraham, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. Isaiah one, the vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah. We could continue on. We see this word vision used many times as the method of communicating God's message to these prophets.

Even Peter in Acts chapter 10, I believe it is, was on a rooftop in Joppa and he had a vision. He saw a what amounted to a sheet or a table cloth being dropped from heaven in front of him with all kinds of unclean food to eat and refused to eat it. And God said, what I have cleansed, call thou not common or unclean and the purpose being is they were already messengers coming from Caesarea from Cornelius to ask Peter to come back with them to give the gospel to a Gentile Roman soldier. And so, God communicated with Peter there in a vision And this was common among the prophets of the Old Testament, and this is how God communicates here to John. This revelation is addressed to seven churches.

Okay. We already mentioned that. These seven churches are in Asia or in Western Turkey as we would think today. They are listed here for you in verse 11, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. I want to look on the map at where these different cities are.

We'll start with Ephesus. Ephesus is sort of home base here, and you ought to be able to see Ephesus there, down here, get this pointer to work. Alright, come on pointer, there you go. There is Ephesus. Now, Ephesus is the first mentioned.

It was probably the first of all these churches. It was a church planted by the apostle Paul. It was a church in a city in which Paul ministered on more than one occasion. One time, he stayed there for nearly eighteen months in the city of Ephesus and as he ministered there and as other ministers, others ministered there, and as later on John ministered there, other churches were planted in that area of Turkey. And those are these other churches that are mentioned up here above Ephesus a ways.

And you'll notice the dash line, that that dash line that connects these cities, I believe that is supposed to be representative of Roman roads. And that's the way Paul often traveled in his travels was on Roman roads and that is why the city sprung up and how the gospel got there to start these different ministries. This here above Ephesus is the Church of Smyrna, and then as we go up, take the pointer off for a minute, we go up the map at the top up here, you see the city of Pergamum or Pergamos, and then over to the right, if you follow the road down, you come to this pointer is easier to use you come to the city of Thyatira or Thyatira. And then you come down, again, the road here and you come down to Sardis, another church that is mentioned here. And then traveling over to your right, you come down the map, you come to Philadelphia, right there, follow the road on down, and we come to what?

And we come to the Church of Laodicea. It is also likely that Luke settled at least for a time in one of these cities also. These are the seven churches to which this letter was sent with specific messages for each one of the seven churches that we will be studying in the first, in chapters two and three of Revelation. These churches were probably started as satellite churches of the church at Ephesus or by people that were saved at the church of Ephesus and then went out from there. These are represented in John's vision by seven golden candlesticks or light lampstands, which are warned concerning the putting out of their light and thus the loss of their testimony in the world.

Apart from, I believe it's Philadelphia, which are one of the churches that God only says good things about, These churches are warned about issues that were happening in the churches and they're warned that they need to repent or else their light will be put out. Matthew five fourteen and sixteen says, you are the what? You are the light of the world. Now, the the light of the world is Jesus Christ but as we reflect or as we glow with the light of Jesus Christ in our testimony. As individuals and as churches, other people see that light.

They see Jesus Christ in us. They hear the message of Christ in the gospel and we bring light, spiritual light into a spiritually dead and dark world. God warns them that if they do not repent and if they do not fix some of these issues which he addresses that their light will be snuffed out. That means their testimony. Will be lost.

What is very sad is to visit areas in Greece and in Turkey today. Where the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is hid. Where once there was some of the greatest testimony to the power of God in all of the world and now, there are only ruins to visit. It's need as a Christian to go to see some of these places and I would really enjoy. I would love to take a cruise of the Northern Mediterranean.

Be able to stop at these places that Paul ministered in. I really enjoy going to Israel a few years back and seeing the places where Jesus walked. But sad to say, the testimony of the Lord is not great in these places today and not even great in the nation of Israel. There are many ruins that speak of the glory of what once was. But now that light for the most part has been snuffed out.

That has been the history of mankind. We are now sending missionaries to England. England was once sending missionaries here and all around the world. But now, a very very small percentage of people in England go to church and that's probably not representative of true Christians. Just those that go to church and they are few.

There are beautiful cathedrals but there are hardly anybody in them. In the light of the gospel has gone out. He sends this message to these churches, these seven golden candlesticks. The number seven in scripture. Now, there are other churches in in Turkey.

The other churches we know of that are mentioned in scripture. For instance, look at Laodicea. Just North of Laodicea is Hierapolis, just South of Laodicea is what? Colossi, we know there were churches in Hierapolis and we know there were churches in Colossi, the book of Colossians was written to churches there. But those churches are not mentioned.

Why seven? Well, seven is the number of completeness in scripture. Therefore, these seven churches also represent the church as a whole. Then, and now. And it behooves us to take the time to look at the messages that God had for these churches because though that those messages are still pertinent.

To us today. The content of this revelation is concerning Jesus Christ and his church. Look if you would in verse 19. Write these things which thou hast seen and these things which are and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand are the seven and the seven golden candlesticks.

The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. The seven stars here referred to as the seven angels of the churches. There is much agreement on theologians what the angels are. Some believe they are actual angels that were attached to those churches that watched over them represented them. Some believe that the word angel here which does mean messenger in Greek is referencing the pastors or elders of these seven churches.

That are mentioned here and thus represent the churches and the messenger that God has sent to those seven churches there. Tools in the hand of who? Tools in the hand of God. Whether they be angels or men, they are tools in the hand of God. He speaks of the things which thou hast seen.

The things which are which are indicative of these seven churches in the present and in the time in which we live and then, following in the Book of Revelation, the things which shall be what? Which shall be here after. And I believe that speaks of hereafter after the rapture of the church. For the remainder of Revelation is concerning the judgments of God upon this earth and the church is not mentioned. Specifically, as such, in that portion of the book of Revelation.

It seems to be represented in heaven by a group referred to as the twenty four elders. The purpose of this revelation, look if you would back to chapter one and verse three. Says there, blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand. So, he says, blessed, that is blessed of God, blessed of God as we talked about on Wednesday night from Psalm one. Blessed of God is he that readeth, that that that reads this letter that I'm sending that hears the words of this prophecy.

Okay, not only that reads the words but that actually it gets into their dense head, okay? That doesn't go in one ear and out the other, okay? So, blessed is he that readeth, blessed is he that hears, and blessed are those that keep those things which are written herein. The word keep means to guard, to observe, to obey, to heed. So, John says, here is my purpose.

I'm writing this to you to read it, to hear it, and then to heed it. And though the majority of the Book of Revelation is not concerning the church, these chapters two and three are very much written and concerning the church of which we are a part. So thus, the command, the imperative to read it, to hear it, and to heed it. And of course, we would be wise not only to read, hear, and heed the words of revelation. But the entire word of God.

Let's pray. Dear God, we thank you Lord. For Your word and we pray Lord that you would give us wisdom and understanding in the coming weeks as we study your messages to these seven churches that we would know how to apply them to our own life, ministry, and church today. Lord, we thank you for the revelation that you gave John for us and Lord, we pray that it would make a difference in our ministry here. In our testimony for the Lord Jesus.

And that we indeed would heed its words. In Jesus name, we pray, amen.