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Sermon on the mount -Summary of the Beatitudes Part 4a (Matthew 5:3-6) Jesus departed from the crowds and went up the mountain, the disciples came to him. This in a sense represents going on with Him i.e. a step of consecration, coming out of the crowd to follow Him. Being a disciple means to follow the Master and obey his teaching and commands. Come and meet Christ on the mountain if you want to be his disciple. Q. Why go to the mountain? A. to get away from distractions and closer to God. To the fleshly mind the Beatitudes seem like madness or confusion but to the spiritual man they are a source of joy and direction. Jesus commands His Church to go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.. Only disciples can disciple others and here is one of the major teachings to make us into disciples. . Matthew 5:3-12 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely on account of Me… Beatitudes; (Latin) meaning blessednesses. Blessed; definition: happy, to be envied and spiritually prosperous (that is with life joy and satisfaction with God's favour regardless of the outward conditions). This is the state of heart and mind we all long for! It is the attitude of heart or mind that is fulfilled only in God. Blessed: Makarios; Greek is used to describe God himself; it is enjoying life as God enjoys it Consider a step wise progression of the Beatitudes. They represent the starting point and how to make progress in coming to maturity. Maturity in Christ is our vision. It might also be that the beatitudes may give us the pattern of tackling every project in our spiritual lives! v.3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We must admit our inadequacy and failure to God (sin, shame, pride, fear, insecurity, self-sufficiency). All our (own) righteousness, all our own good deeds are as filthy rags to God. This is the starting point. This poverty of spirit (attitude of heart/mind) opens the door to the kingdom of God. It is impossible to enter the kingdom in any other state of heart. The kingdom of God is within you i.e. when the love of Christ that is shed abroad in our hearts and influences our whole life, thoughts, and actions. Only admission of our poverty in spirit before and to God can enable Him to breathe His life into us (c.f. salvation experience). v.4 Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. This means mourning over our sins to go on with God we must firstly confess our sins and express sorrow on an ongoing basis before God. The Greek word for mourn is mainly used in the New Testament in the context of mourning over other sins rather than bereavement. James 4:8-11; v.9 mourns and weep for your sins. 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; v2 Church had failed to mourn over incestuous immorality. 2 Corinthians 12:21; Paul mourns over churches unrepented sin. We might need to ask Him to take away any enjoyment of the sin. We then ask for forgiveness and the grace to avoid falling into the same trap. When we reach this point of mourning over our sins God can do something with us. We must mourn for our own sins, for the church’s sins and those of the nation. v.5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness incorporates strength and gentleness and includes humility (paradox). It is the branch that bears most fruit that bows the lowest on the tree. Humility is to see your true standing before God. To recognise His power and majesty (the surpassing beauty of holiness) and yet at the same time to realise his great love for you. In meekness we stop telling God how to do it and submit to His will. We then enter His strength and ability, as we become lesser in our own eyes, so He becomes greater and brings all his abilities into the situation. Meekness with humility removes paralysing fear from us and produces courage in us to go and possess the land, to begin to fulfil all our destiny in Christ. We no longer try to do things in our own strength. v.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Now that we are no longer bound in fear or in self-sufficiency (due to meekness with humility) we can ask God to fill us with a hunger and thirst for His things. Having confessed and turned from our sins and admitted our inadequacy before Him He is ready to create these desires in our hearts. To hunger for · The Word of God · opportunities to minister · opportunities to serve. To thirst for · His presence · His Spirit · His power in revival No more yesterday’s manna but hungering and thirsting for a freshness each day with God. We begin to long for the things that God longs for... See our next post, Lessons from the Beatitudes Part 5. Amen

Blessed are the Meek The Beatitudes Matt. 5:3 “Blessed are those who recognise they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 4 Blessed are those who mourn. They will be comforted. 5 Blessed are those who are gentle (meek). They will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval. They will be satisfied. 7 Blessed are those who show mercy. They will be treated mercifully. 8 Blessed are those whose thoughts are pure. They will see God. 9 Blessed are those who make peace. They will be called God’s children. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what God approves of. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. - God’s Word Translation The Blessing of God The Beatitudes or ‘Blessed Sayings’ means ‘blessed is’ or ‘happy is’. Happy unfortunately has lost its meaning in modern times and is now used for a superficial moment of contentment. Someone has said that if would mean much more if we could qualify it by saying. “Oh how incredibly happy!” It means supremely blessed or fortunate. The One who is doing the blessing has our absolute good as his highest interest. When God blessed Adam in Genesis 1:22 and Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3 he meant that everything else around them would be working together to bring about God’s favour. We should live in a favourable and prosperous state that is not based on worldly circumstances but on divine conditions. These conditional blessings are frequent in Hebrew scriptures, including the wisdom literature, especially the Psalms (Job 5:17; Ps. 1:1; 32:1-2; 33:12; 41:1; 106:3; Prov. 8:34; 28:14). The Beatitudes contrast Jesus' values with the values of the world Jesus’ Values vs World’s Values Poor in spirit Self confident, complete Mourning Pleasure seeking, hedonistic Meek Proud, self importance Hunger for God Self made, self reliant Merciful Assertive, forceful Pure in heart Hidden, secretive Peacemakers Competitive, aggressive Persecuted Popular, crowd pleasing Like most of Jesus’ teaching the beatitudes are contrary to the values that the world offers [1]. Leaders must serve if they want to rule; if they want to live they must first die; if they want to receive then they must to give away; if they want to be made worthy they should first recognise their unworthiness; if they want to be happy they first need make others happy. Blessed are the Meek In the church today there is little emphasis on humility or self-emptying. There are many Christian books on how to be happy, how to be successful, how to overcome problems, and so on. But sadly there are very few books in print on how to empty ourselves, how to deny ourselves, or how to take up our cross. There are numerous commands about humbling ourselves (Matt. 18:4; 23:12; James 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:5). The first step in experiencing humility is to turn our eyes away from ourselves and to look to God. It is the vision of an infinitely Holy God in all His sinless purity and perfection that enables us to see ourselves as sinners. To seek humility, we do not look at ourselves to find our faults, but to the perfection of God. Jesus invites the weary and overburdened of this world to take upon themselves his yoke and discover that he is “gentle and humble in heart.”[2] People are increasingly aggressive and unkind (including Christians) to each other. There is a real need to nurture a gentle and kind spirit. Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Titus 3:1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. ๏ Meekness is learning to be kind ๏ Meekness is learning to not take offence ๏ Meekness is is not being angry or aggressive ๏ Meekness is not allowing people to affect our mood Meekness should not be confused with weakness. Jesus didn’t let people control him. He was quite willing to confront and challenge. He wouldn't let them ‘make him king’, he overturned the tables when His Father’s house was being desecrated, he strongly denounced the Pharisees because of their hypocrisy. Meekness does not mean that we fail to challenge, correct, rebuke or speak the truth in love. 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. ‘For They will Inherit the Earth’ Psalm 37:11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. To inherit the land has a twofold application, present and future. Those that are at peace with themselves will be at peace with their surroundings. The world will be enjoyed and appreciated so much more when we have a tranquil spirit. Romans 8:6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. His kingdom principles define and shape us. This is the meekness to which Jesus calls his followers. It is the meek who will “inherit the land and enjoy great peace”. It is those of a ‘gentle spirit’ (NEB), not the grasping or the greedy, who will receive from life its most satisfying rewards. The aggressive are unable to enjoy their ill–gotten gains. Only the meek have the capacity to enjoy in life all those things that provide genuine and lasting satisfaction.[3] One day the earth will be transformed where the children of God will live. Those who are transformed by Christ will inherit the earth. Amen This was a joint teaching from Pastor Paul Meiklejohn and Charles Green [1] The NIV Application Commentary, p223 [2] New International Bible Commentary, Matthew chapter 5. Electronic version. [3] Ibid

What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? To get a better understanding of what this means we will look at the original Greek words used in Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Hunger Original Word: πεινάω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: peinaó Phonetic Spelling: (pi-nah'-o) Short Definition: I am hungry, needy Definition: I am hungry, needy, desire earnestly. It means we ought to be starving for God in our souls, Continual hunger day by day. This brings us close to God and leads us into eventual spiritual victory. The earnest desire for God should be at the very heart of our being. Only the bread of life which came down from heaven can satisfy our souls. Thirst Original Word: διψάω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: dipsaó Phonetic Spelling: (dip-sah'-o) Short Definition: I thirst for, desire earnestly Definition: I thirst for, desire earnestly. Psalm 42:1 as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Like a plant in the desert craves water. It cannot continue to live without some water. Only the water can sustain life. Only the water of the Holy Spirit can slake your spiritual thirst. Take a deep drink now from the wells of living water. Amen Righteousness Original Word: δικαιοσύνη, ης, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: dikaiosuné Phonetic Spelling: (dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay) Short Definition: justice, justness, righteousness Definition: (usually if not always in a Jewish atmosphere), justice, justness, righteousness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness. There are at least two types of righteousness found in the New Testament. 1. Legal righteousness such as we obtain from Jesus when we are born again, we receive the righteousness of Christ, and this is in a sense a one off situation. This passage however seems to be talking about moral righteousness which is something we achieve on an ongoing basis. It is from our sense of the divine justice that our good deeds flow to the poor and the hurting. Filled Original Word: χορτάζω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: chortazó Phonetic Spelling: (khor-tad'-zo) Short Definition: I feed, satisfy Definition: I feed, satisfy, fatten. If we hunger and thirst for God, He will fill us like we have just had a sumptuous meal. When we hunger, we will be fed, we will be satisfied and our souls will be fattened. God is in the filling business; He will fill us with; 1. The Holy Spirit 2. His love 3. His moral righteousness 4. A satisfaction that can continue to grow One bible scholar put it like this, the more of God you want the more get and again the more you want. How can we become hungry and thirsty for God? Jesus awakens the desires of his believers hearts. Consider these words of Jesus: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you" Luke 11:9. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, it is an open secret. You need to want it and it is appropriate for us to ask for it! Amen It's whom you ask, where you seek and what door you knock on that makes all the difference. What could be more exciting than a journey into God himself for that is what he desires for you and me? Conclusion God does not ask us to deny our burning desire for intimacy, beauty and adventure. Religion does that. Jesus invites us to intimate communion with himself and his Father that will truly satisfy the deepest longings of our souls. Where are you looking to satisfy your deepest desires and longings? Only God will satisfy your deepest desires if you look to him for fulfilment. God is calling his mature ones here today to hunger and thirst for him and to begin seek his face. Amen Personal Prayer

Blessed are those who Hunger and Thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled Hungering and Thirsting for God How is your appetite today? How much of an appetite do you have for God? What do you hunger for today? Is it happiness, money, or a relationship, where will you find it? Be honest with yourself. How much of a thirst do you have for God? If it is success you long for, where will you find it? Or do you thirst for revenge, fame or fortune? What are you thirsting for today? When I was boy sometimes we would go to the cinema and find that we had come into theatre half way through the movie. This was no problem since you stayed on for the second performance and left once you had caught up all that you had missed. Today's message from the Lord resembles this situation a bit since we are coming in half way through the Beatitudes but nevertheless I believe that is God’s will for our message today. To set things in context you should know that the Beatitudes are part of that wonderful sermon given by Jesus to his disciples which is known as the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5 The beatitudes 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The word ‘Beatitudes’ means simply the ‘blessednesses’ and each verse begins with the English word ‘blessed’ which means happy, fortunate, to be envied, enjoying the favour and approval of God and also enjoying God’s smile (my favourite). The Greek word for blessed is Makarios, and some of us more senior people may recall Archbishop Makarios in Cyprus many years ago. How would you like to have blessed as your surname? The best bible scholars have worked out that the beatitudes are a step wise progression so in a sense we can’t start in the middle. We all have start by being ‘poor in spirit ‘and begin to progress through the other beatitudes. When we realise our spiritual poverty we can begin to mourn over our sins and receive the comfort and direction of God. The next stage is we begin to develop meekness which is best described as strength under control like a trained stallion. Once we have developed strength under control we can begin to hunger and thirst for God himself. The Lord knows where each one of us is at spiritually and if he is ministering this message to us today that is what he wants us to receive. Motive Why should we want to hunger and thirst for God and his righteousness? Firstly Jesus tells us that we will experience the smile and approval of the Living God and it is his great delight to fill us when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. Psalm 16:11 says, You will show me the path of life: in your presence [is] fullness of joy; at your right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore. To hunger and thirst for righteousness is to hunger for God himself. Matthew 5:6. The late Martin Lloyd Jones says this verse divides those who are believers from those who don’t know God. It only makes sense to one of those groups of people. Which group are you in? Hungering and Thirsting If we are what we eat then if we eat and drink righteousness then we will become righteousness! So this means following hard after God in our lives. It is a relentless pursuit of God and all that is good in Him particularly pursuing his will in every area of our lives. We will further explore what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness in Part 2 of this study. Amen

What can we learn from them To the Church in Laodicea-the lukewarm church Laodicea was built on a confluence of three major highways and became a successful commercial and trade city. Located near hot springs the water temperature analogy would be particularly clear to these believers. Likewise the city had at that time a well-known school of medicine and so the analogy of eye salve would be understood. The citizens had a reputation for being very rich and knowing it and hence were considered conceited and proud. So too the church in this city had been influenced by such worldly thinking and had started to boast about their spiritual riches. Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Jesus is disgusted with these Christians because of their tepidness, half-heartedness, and spiritual blindness. He warns them in severe tones to get sorted out from their delusions because He wants to see them return to spiritual vitality and to be able to see clearly again. He wants them zealous and passionate about Him and His things. Their affluence had blinded them to their true spiritual state which was of poverty rather than riches. True gold will be those works inspired by the Holy Spirit that will stand the trial by fire at the bema judgement of the righteous. 19 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 them, and they with me. Jesus now speaks tenderly to them... 21 To those who are victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Those who obey Jesus will receive tremendous rewards.... Their affluence had blinded them to their true spiritual state which was of poverty rather than riches. Further Commentary from Linda Morris (see reference materials at the end) LAODICEA Laodicea was founded around 250BC by the Greek Antiochus and named after his wife. It was the capital of the region of Phrygia. It had 3 roads and 2 rivers and was a trading centre, bringing lots of Jews to the town. In the census of 62BC there were 7,500 Jews living there. The main industry was clothing, particularly clothes made from the wool produced there which was black and shiny. (Compare v18 ‘buy from me white garments’ It was a wealthy town which had everything, including theatre, stadium, etc. One of the things it was known for was a centre for banking and finance. Cicero changed his letters of credit in the banks there (like travellers’ cheques). There were a lot of wealthy homes therefore the city teemed with beggars hoping to be given money. (Compare v17 ‘you say “I am rich”...you are poor’). The other thing it was known for was a city for health. The local god they worshipped was ‘Men’, the god of healing. They had a medical school where a famous ophthalmologist practiced, a hospital, and offered expensive treatments. It was famous for its perfumes, ointments, and medicines. They had ointment for sore ears, and powder known as ‘Phrygian powder’ was an ingredient of eye lotions. (Compare v18 ‘anoint yourselves with eye salve’) It was 10 miles from Hierapolis where Philip was martyred and buried, and the same distance from Colossae. The water supply in the city was lukewarm, probably carried by the aqueduct. Hierapolis had hot springs and Colossae had cold, pure water so the water was tepid by the time it reached Laodicea. You could drink the water hot or cold, but if you drank it lukewarm it made you sick. (Compare v16 ‘you are lukewarm.... I will vomit you out of my mouth’) The church was founded by Epaphras and was meeting in the house of a lady called Nympha. Onesimus came from Laodicea. Later it mentions a leader of that name, so could be the same person. Unlike most of the other churches, the church in Laodicea had no problems. They were large and prosperous. Laodicea is mentioned a few times in Colossians, and the letter to the Colossians was also to be read out to the people in Laodicea. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Laodicea (Col 4:16) which was also to be read out in Colossae, but nobody knows where it went. Perhaps the fact that it was lost shows that it did not do any good. The letter to the church in Laodicea begins with the most intense description Jesus gives of Himself – the ‘Amen’ (meaning absolute truth), ‘Faithful and True Witness’, ‘the beginning of the creation of God (the source of God’s creation, the Creator). The accusations against them They are neither hot nor cold – they are insipid, cannot be bothered. When a house is on fire, people come and look! You cannot do anything when people are tepid because they are satisfied. It is a hopeless situation. Jesus says lukewarm people make Him sick! They are independent. Self-sufficient. They are proud. They needed no help and could fall into the trap of thinking that God was blessing them. When they were struck by an earthquake in 60AD they refused help from the Roman Empire and rebuilt the city by themselves. They were ignorant. Self-deceived. Jesus’ “counsels” (advises) them (v18). It is not a command. He knows they will not obey His orders. We cannot buy spiritual gold from Jesus but here (v18) Jesus is speaking to them as people who measure everything in monetary terms. He is saying, ‘do business with me!’ He is telling them to exert themselves (v19) - it takes effort to lift yourself out of apathy and turn from sin. Jesus wants them to let Him in so that He can have fellowship and be intimate with them (v20). Summary It is interesting seeing the comparisons between how they live their lives and how Jesus uses these things to challenge them, and made me think – if Jesus were to write to a church in our city/town what aspects could He use? Does that relate to our churches? Even today rich, self-made people do not see their need for Jesus and there is more openness to the Gospel in poor countries than it is in the Western world. We need missionaries to come to the UK from Africa!! Amen Reference materials: Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H. Stern Studies by David Pawson For full text for printout and access to all churches please click on the link below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/the-7-churches-of-revelation-laodicea

What can we learn from them 7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David [1]. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. Jesus Christ is a true descendant of King David in terms of faith and righteousness in contrast to those unbelieving Jews in Philadelphia. Jesus alone as the holder of the key of David has the ultimate executive power over all things in the cosmos with power to allow or to block as He sees fit. The key of David implies the Holder is fully ordained by God. Isaiah shows that all the glory of God’s family is vested in Him who holds the key of David, and that the Holder is like the firmly driven in tent peg that holds everything in the right place. All the honour of Father God’s household is represented as seated in the throne of Jesus Christ. Although this church had grown weak it was still loyal to Jesus and probably had been specifically tested on this matter of loyalty to Him. Those unbelieving Jews were much more like Satan than the righteous Jews as required by the Law since they were the main accusers and persecutors of the Christians in the city. Jesus promises that one day these unrighteous Jews will need to bow and acknowledge that God loves the church members that these Jews had slandered. The open door represents a wonderful opportunity to preach the Gospel and the tone of great comfort implies that the grace of God to empower and sustain the church is fully available. V10 ‘I will keep you from...’ is God’s promise of special protection to His church and specifically that He will in some way intervene to prevent them from going through a terrible ‘hour of trial’ that will affect everyone else alive on the planet. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.12 Those who are victorious I will make pillars in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He comforts this church with the fact that they will not have too long to wait for His coming. Jesus admonishes them to keep their love and faith so that their rewards will be full. To those who overcome the promise is given of eternally playing a key supporting role in God’s Holy Temple i.e. the New Jerusalem. The other rewards include being given a new name. Those who are ready and able should listen to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit. Amen The Church of Philadelphia – Further commentary from Jacky Wilson (the contribution of the late David Hilsley is acknowledged) The Church of Philadelphia was in a centre of Greek civilisation. Founded only 189 years before Jesus, the city had a surprising influence on that area of the ancient world. This Church must have been very vital, for Philadelphia remained an independent Christian city until the close of the fourteenth century, when it was conquered by Turkey. The message in this letter? To endure suffering, stay close to Jesus. Keep his word, and you can withstand anything. Jesus’ Commendation Revelation 3:8 I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Condemnation: Not one word! Counsel: Revelation 3:11 - I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that on one can seize your crown. So who was this church? Well, Philadelphia was a strategically located trade town in Asia. It stood between Rome and the eastern world and was known as “little Athens” because of its many gods and idols. But though it was filled with idolatry, the church remained faithful to Jesus. They had little power, as Jesus mentions in the letter. They also faced persecution from the Jews, which we see in verse 9. But despite weakness and opposition, they trusted his word and remained faithful to him. In a world filled with idolatry, they listened to Jesus alone, and that was their greatest achievement. That’s our call today—listen to and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures must be the centring point of every church Listen to how Jesus introduces himself in verse 7. “The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens, and no one will shut, who shuts, and no one opens.” We have in that single verse a four-fold description of Christ. 1) He’s the holy one. This is the distinctive attribute of God. He’s set apart, perfect, pure. 2) He’s true. He cannot lie. He keeps his word. He’s fully trustworthy always and in every way. 3) He has the key of David. Keys and locks and doors are a sign of power and official authority. Jesus holds the key not to Philadelphia but to the house of David. Remember, God told David that he would establish his kingdom and his son would reign on the throne forever. Jesus is that Son who takes the seat, the eternal throne. 4) He is the one who opens and shuts the doors. He’s sovereign overall. He’s powerful, able to open and shut. These four marks show Christ worthy of our attention. He’s the pure one, the right one, the key to every door. How could we not listen to him? We need this message today because at some point our faith will be tested, just as the Philadelphian church was, and when it is, we need the everlasting word of Jesus to help us stand like oaks of righteousness. So, to that end, let’s consider three truths about the word of Jesus from this passage: 1. The word of Jesus is an open door for his humble people (v. 8). (See above) 2. The word of Jesus is a sure foundation for his suffering people (v. 9-10). 3. The word of Jesus is a promise for his enduring people (v. 11-12). That they have but little power-that’s not an insult or rebuke. It’s just an acknowledgment that they had very little influence in their culture. They were small. Even more, they were persecuted by the Jews who were stronger than them, as we see in verse 9. Yet in the face of opposition, they did not deny their faith in Christ. Jesus wants them to know that the opposition was not their fault. Their suffering wasn’t a result of their lack of faith or anything else. They kept his word. They stood firm. He knows their heart of faith toward him and their love for him. So, to encourage them, Jesus says he set before them an open door, which no one can shut. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” The door symbolises the need for a decision. It’s the entryway into Christ or the barrier keeping one from Christ. So, the door in this context seems to be entrance into Christ’s kingdom. When suffering comes, it’s our reliance on Jesus during suffering that gives us such strong confidence in him. When Jesus is all we have, we realise Jesus is all we need. We see in verse 9 that the Jews in the synagogue of Satan have caused harm to the church. These Jews, Jesus says, are not really Jews, but lie. These Jews didn’t love God. They loved themselves and their power and their status and their self-perceived righteousness. But these Jews didn’t trust Jesus. They, like Satan, set themselves against him. They thought they held the keys to the kingdom, but Jesus is that key, So, church, keep his word with patient endurance because he rewards those who do. See that phrase there in verse 10? “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” Look at verses 11 and 12. “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, 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 from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” Jesus is coming soon. Therefore, he says, hold fast. Why: Because Jesus traded in the crown of thorns for the crown of glory, and he gives that crown of glory to all his people suffering the thorns of this world. Jesus holds the keys. He is the door. “Don’t give up. He’s coming soon. Endure! Hold fast! Trust Jesus!” Amen [1] Isaiah 22:20-24 20 “In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. 21 I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 23 I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will become a seat of honour for the house of his father. 24 All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars. For full text for printout and access to the other 'The 7 churches of Revelation' click below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/the-7-churches-of-revelation-philadelphia

What can we learn from them To the Church in Sardis- the almost dead church Sardis was considered to be an impregnable city built on an inaccessible hill situated at the top of the Hermus valley and was the capital city of the area known as Lydia. Such physical security had perhaps caused the citizens to become over-confident or even arrogant. The city was beginning to decline at the time that this book was written. 3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. The church in Sardis was no longer living up to its reputation. Nearly the whole assembly in Sardis had some form of defilement in their lives. They had fallen asleep on duty as it were and were only give out a flickering light of the gospel. Jesus tells them to wake up and strengthen what is left of their faith. They had not finished the job as far as God was concerned. They desperately needed to rekindle their love and faith. Jesus warns them they need to repent from their sins. He further warns them that if they don’t listen to His wake-up call that He will visit them suddenly without any notice and with judgement implied. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 Those who are victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out their names from the book of life but will acknowledge their names before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. However not everyone in the Sardis Assembly had gone astray or defiled themselves. The repentant and victorious believers along with those who have been already faithful in the church of Sardis are promised a special walk with Jesus Christ sharing in His glory and purity. Jesus gives all such believers His personal assurance that their names are permanently inscribed in the book of life and that Jesus will personally acknowledge them as friends in the presence of the Father God and His holy angels. Therefore let those believers who are willing and able be ever obedient to the Holy Spirit as He speaks to the church. Further commentary (adapted in part from Pilgrim Benham: A letter to a modern church -Calvary Chapel) Commendation Jesus gives no commendation to the church at Sardis since Jesus cannot commend dead works. The faithful minority are however promised a special walk with Jesus. Corrections (do these apply to your church?) 1. Wake up (stay awake) unlike those Sardians who woke up to find the enemy had climbed the steep castle wall and conquered the city. This was probably due to over-confidence in their defences. To wake up is to admit your faith is asleep and not moving forward. Sardis was the church who had a problem staying awake! Wake up before you are attacked unaware. 2. Strengthen what remains most likely faith, hope and love. These three are strengthened by regular use. If we grow complacent, we forget our dependence on God. Having awakened we must fan the tiny spark or flame of our faith into life. Shake off the spiritual numbness and ask Jesus to grow your mustard seed of faith. 3. Remember what we have been taught. Both waking up and strengthening involves remembering. Do you recall the Gospel of your salvation? The Holy Spirit is our helper and will bring all the relevant things we need to our minds! 4. Hold fast to what we know to be true. Our remembrance ought to be more than a mental exercise but rather something that leads to action that bears fruit. Keep and value the wonderful life that Christ has purchased for you. 5. Repent and do a U-turn as often as required (1 John 1:9). If there are walking dead in your church, then repentance is the only remedy. Do not persist in the things that are killing your faith. How can we fall asleep in the presence of King Jesus? Further thoughts Concerning the Church at Sardis no mention is made of any persecution from external enemies or false teaching from within. The root problem was that they had absorbed the surrounding godless culture. Amen For full text printout and access to the other 'The 7 churches of Revelation..' click link https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/the-7-churches-of-revelation-sardis

What can we learn from them? To the Church in Thyatira- the corrupt church The city of Thyatira was situated in quite a vulnerable position being located in a valley adjacent to two other valleys and this with no obvious natural defences. A garrison was usually billeted there to defend Thyatira and the nearest towns such as Pergamum. Thyatira was a commercial centre with many different trade guilds. Revelation 2:18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Jesus knows and commends several virtues of the church in Thyatira including their actions, their love and faith, their faithful ministry under trial and difficulty. Further praise is also given that their ministry has increased since the church was founded. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’ Christians employed by the various trade guilds would be required to worship the god of the trade guild e.g. woollen goods, leather goods or pottery. To maintain their employment in the particular trade the workers were also required to take part in the pagan and immoral practices associated with the worship of the gods of the trades i.e. eating meat sacrificed to idols and indulging in the expected sexual depravity. There was no ‘opt out’ for Christians who if they did not participate would be thrown out of their employment by the guild and seen to be insulting their god. Jezebel was reputed to have the view that to conquer any sin then the subject must fully know the sin having fully participated in it. Some of the church had been participating in these pagan practices and the remainder of the church had turned a blind eye to this. Jesus had allowed time for this church to repent of these sins but now the church will be punished through disease unless they turn away from such sin. Jesus also indicates that the children of these sinners will be killed as an example to the churches of how seriously he views this type of sin and how carefully He searches for it. The wages of these sins will be death. Satan’s deep secrets are the sarcastic description of such vile doctrines. The blazing fire in Jesus’ eyes can tell which saints were willing to suffer persecution for His sake. On the remainder of church who were generally faithful Jesus places no additional burdens except to hold on to their faith until Jesus returns. 26 To those who are victorious and do my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 they ‘will rule them with an iron sceptre and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ [2]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give them the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. One day the faithful believers will actually reign over sinners like those who are currently persecuting them and these sinners will ultimately face the fierce and shattering judgement of God. This message would not be lost on those of the potters’ guild. To be given the morning star suggests that the believers will share in His majesty and royal splendour. Let those who are willing and obedient hear what the Holy Spirit is saying through this message. Further Commentary from Linda Morris The Church in Thyatira This is the longest of the 7 letters and to the least important town, situated between the Caicus and Hermus valleys. This was a good position for trading and the city appears to have been quite a commercial centre. Their virtues Love, service, faith, patience/perseverance. They are doing more than they did at first. There is progress in the life of the church. Their faults Guilds Thyatira was a small town noted for it’s trade guilds, which had more than in any other Asian city. They are known to have had wool workers; linen-workers; makers of outer garments; dyers; leather workers; tanners; potters; bakers; slave-dealers and bronze-smiths. Lydia came from there. They held banquets where the food was dedicated to pagan gods and they usually degenerated into sexual looseness. A believer whose livelihood depended on his membership in a guild was faced with the problem of whether or not to participate. Jezebel Jezebel supported idolatry, sexual immorality, and almost eliminated true worship of God. Eventually the ‘Jezebel woman’ (your wife?) injects occultism and other demonic practices into the Messianic community, even though they clearly profess the Christian faith. Those who are connected with what she does are in turmoil – how can they be loyal to the Messiah and still function in their social and business environment? Some Christians would have joined in the banquets making the excuse that she was a prophetess so it’s ok! ‘Her children’ are worse because they are trained by her, so they are fully committed to her teachings. Therefore their punishment is worse – death, rather than a sickbed. God gave them time to repent but they did not. A warning The deep things of Satan Some have not known these. Various gnostic philosophers appealed to people’s pride by promising spiritual knowledge deeper than that available to ordinary mortals. Many modern cults/movements make the same empty promises. It could be the thinking that was certainly around at a later time than this, so could have been around then, which was that the important thing is to keep the soul pure whatever the body may do. People engaged in grossly sensual practices maintaining that these concerned only their bodies but that their souls were pure. An exhortation Keep my works until the end ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent’. Jn 6:29 The promises of overcoming I will give power over the nations ‘When the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel’ He shall rule them with a rod of iron..... Psalm 2:8,9 are quoted here. The believers will reign (rule/shepherd) with the Messiah when he returns The Morning Star Literally Venus, the brightest object in the sky after the sun and the moon. Here it means either great glory or as in Rev 22:16 the Messiah Himself, whose coming was told by Bilam ‘a star shall step forth out of Jacob’. Numbers 24:17 “The Morning Star shines in your hearts” (2 Pet 1:19) Questions for us today 1. How far should we accept and adopt contemporary standards and practices? 2. If Christianity had accepted these practices then, would the church still exist today and what would it look like? 3. Could it be that in the guise of deeper spiritual understanding some undesirable things (particularly in the area of worship) are creeping into the church? We do not want to be led away from true worship! Footnotes: Revelation 2:1 Or messenger; also in verses 8, 12 and 18 (this pertains to Ephesus) Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9 For full text for printout and access to all 'The 7 churches of Revelation' please click below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/the-7-churches-of-revelation-2

What can we learn from them? To the Church in Pergamum- The compromised church The city of Pergamum was built in land on a rocky hill and was about 25 miles inland. The city was filled with statues and tributes to the serpent-god Aesculapius a clear sign of Satan. The rod of Aesculapius was adopted by many healers and magicians as a symbol and today appears on NHS ambulances in England and Wales. The city also had an alter to Zeus the king of the so-called gods of Greece. Pergamum was also the centre of emperor worship. Evidences of Satan and his activities were all over the place. Not an easy place to be a Christian! Sin city! Revelation 2:12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. Satan’s throne may refer to the 200 foot high alter to Zeus specifically or in all the Satanic symbolism throughout the city. Jesus commends the church in Pergamum a highly satanic city for their refusal to deny Him and clinging to their faith even when Antipas the first Asian martyr was put to death in Satan’s hometown as it were. History records that Antipas was burned to death in a large bull-shaped copper vat for daring to cast out demons which were worshipped by the local people. In Pergamum the rulers enforced the Roman policy of confessing ‘Caesar is Lord’. Each citizen was required to offer a pinch of incense to Caesar and make a public declaration that ‘Caesar is Lord’ after which they were given a certificate showing they had done this. Anyone refusing to do this was immediately put to death. Quite a test for the Christians living then who saw this as a clear case of needing to declare instead ‘Jesus is Lord’ thus forfeiting their lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam [1], who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Jesus now turns his attention to the various criticisms of the church in Pergamum. Some of the church members were mixing their Christianity with pagan practices including eating meat sacrificed to idols and actually taking part in immoralities of the pagan festivals. The teaching of Balaam and later the Nicolaitans encouraged God’s people to licentiousness by sexually intermingling with the pagan peoples during rituals thus mixing the true religion with an evil one. The church needed to discipline those people who were mixing their faith with outrageous pagan practices. They probably did this to keep their livelihoods. Christians would be thrown out of their various guilds and their employment if they did not participate in the worship of the local god of that particular guild. Jesus condemns these practices and calls the church to repentance warning them that He is coming soon to deal with such enemies. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who are victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give each of them a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. Whoever is able and willing to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying and is obedient to it will receive true food –the bread of Heaven- and be satisfied with it. The white stone may represent the inner person of Christ as revealed personally to the recipient. The stone (psephos) is like a ‘not guilty’ voting chip from God and is a token of a wonderful and everlasting personalised fellowship with the believer and with Jesus’ new name reflecting on the believer in some way perhaps giving them a new name too. The bestowing of a new name on God’s servants was prophesied by Isaiah [2] Further commentary from Jacqueline Wilson (the contribution of the late David Hilsley is acknowledged) Pergamum was the Capital city of Asia until the close of the first century. It was a city given over to the worship of many Greek idols. Two of the most prominent religious systems of the city were the worship of Bacchus (the god of revelry) and the worship of Asclepius (the god of healing) Verse 13 twice refers to the city as the place where “Satan’s throne is” or where Satan dwells.” Satan has a kingdom; Babylon has from earliest times been considered the capital of this kingdom. Idolatry gained its start in Babylon through Nimrod and his mother inspired by Satan. As long as Babylon was a dominant world power, it made an excellent headquarters for Satan’s attack on mankind. However, when Babylon’s glory began to decline and it was left desolate Satan looked for another location. He selected Pergamum because of its strong idolatrous religions. The Indulged Church A.D. 312 - 606 Satan learned from his attack on the church of Smyrna that persecution only caused the Church to flourish and continue in a perpetual state of revival. After Diocletian’s unsuccessful attack on the Church, Constantine succeeded him as emperor of Rome. Constantine’s ascendancy to the throne was not without controversy, and it had far-reaching effects on the Christian Church of the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries. Constantine, already attracted by Christianity, allegedly saw a vision of a fiery cross in the sky and heard a voice saying, “In this sign conquer”. Paganism introduced into the Church The influence of paganism on the Church increased over the years step by step. The Church began to shroud itself in “mystery” and ritualism that had a strong resemblance to Babylonian mysticism. The following is a partial list of unscriptural changes introduced during this age. Gradually these changes became more prominent than the original teachings of Christianity. A.D. 300 - Prayers for the dead A.D. 300 - Making sign of the cross A.D. 375 - Worship of saints and angels A.D. 394 - Mass first instituted A.D. 431 - Worship of Mary began A.D. 500 - Priests began dressing differently than laymen A.D. 526 - Extreme unction (a sacrament in which a priest anoints and prays for the recovery and salvation of a critically ill or injured person.) A.D. 593 - Doctrine of purgatory introduced A.D. 600 - Worship services conducted in Latin A.D. 600 - Prayers directed to Mary From A.D. 312 on, the Church became more Roman and less Christian on its practices. The Roman Catholic Church of today is hard put to trace its ancestry beyond A.D. 312. The name Pergamum literally means “marriage” or “elevation”. As the Church became married to the governmental authority and elevated to a place of acceptance, it declined in spiritual blessing and power. Postmillennialism Introduced As the Church became rich and powerful, it was suggested that the world was getting better and better, that Jesus’ kingdom was already ushered in, and that he would come at the end of the thousand year reign. This demanded reinterpretation of the status of Israel, which was accomplished by suggesting that Israel had been “cast off forever” and the promises of Israel now applied to the Church. Whenever a local Church or denomination has maintained a strong emphasis on the second coming of Jesus, it has been an evangelistic, missionary-sending station. Where this doctrine has been neglected, the church has become cold, indifferent, and worldly. The Nature of Jesus Revealed to Pergamum To Pergamum he revealed the “sharp two-edged sword” which without question refers to the Word of God. The cure for the problems of the local Church at Pergamum, of the Pergamum age of the Church, or of any church is the Word of God Jesus used the Word of God to sanctify His Church (John 17:17) to clean it (John 15:3) to bring it joy (John 15:11) to bring it peace (John 16:3) Had the church of Pergamum and the Pergamum age heeded the Word of God, the evils of the Dark Ages could well have been avoided. Jesus’ Commendation to Pergamum The commendation of Jesus to Pergamum, in verse 13 falls into three basic categories. 1. I know your works, and where you dwell, even where Satan’s throne is. 2. You hold fast to my name. Criticism cannot be hurled against the Doctrine this Church or church age, for they were doctrinally pure. But they sinned by taking in the ceremonies of paganism. 3. ..and hast not denied my faith. Much of this has already been covered. Condemnation The condemnation of Jesus given to the church of Pergamum reveals that although their theological doctrine was correct, their practical doctrines were radically evil. These false doctrines fell into two main categories. Revelation 2:14 The Doctrine of Balaam The Doctrine of the Nicolaitans Counsel Repent or be judged by the Word of God Jesus’ Challenge to the Church of Pergamum It is directed to overcomers - two beautiful symbols loaded with meaning “hidden manna” and “a white stone” Hidden manna (Expanded in Conversation) The White Stone (Expanded in Conversation) Amen [1] Numbers chapters 22-25 and 31 see also 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11. [2] See Isaiah 62:2 and 65:15 For full text for printout and access to other parts of 'The 7 churches of Revelation https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/the-7-churches-of-revelation-pergamum

What can we learn from them? Each church usually has a commendation, a criticism, and a correction To the Church in Smyrna –the persecuted church-under Satanic attack Smyrna was a beautiful city with a temperate climate and was a loyal Roman colony. The church in Smyrna was probably founded by Paul between 53-56 AD). The church father Polycarp lived in Smyrna in those days and beyond but was martyred at the stake at age eighty six (in 155 AD). According to the story the flames would not touch him so they had to kill him with a sharp weapon. He died refusing to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. 2:8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test[1] you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Jesus knows about life and death having experienced both. Jesus also knew all about their suffering church in Smyrna. Many were thrown out of their jobs for being Christian and lost their livelihoods. Their goods would be confiscated and they would be badly beaten. Jesus considered these faithful brothers and sisters as rich in the things of God. Many Jews were the first to be the accusers of the Christians who as such were more like Satan the chief accuser of the brethren than like the righteous Jews they ought to be as commanded by the Law. Jesus warns them about the intensifying of their suffering which is about to happen in which they will be imprisoned and after ten days they will be put to death for holding onto their faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus tells them to be faithful even though it costs them their lives. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who are victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. These saints in Smyrna were called to be bearers of the Gospel light. The first death may engulf them but they will never be affected by the second death where the devil and his angels will be cast into the everlasting lake of fire (Gehenna). Smyrna continued THE COMMENDATION & CRITICISM Jesus’s commendation is highly significant because He has no major criticism! Ephesians 2:9 says: “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan." Jesus said He knew four things about the church in Smyrna: 1. Jesus knows their good works. "I know your works:" That is the same phrase Jesus used when speaking to the church of Ephesus. The church in Smyrna likewise was working as unto the Lord, and Jesus recognized their ministry. God knows your works today. God sees. God knows. God will not overlook it. 2. Jesus knows their pain. The Greek word can be translated: tribulation, affliction, trouble, anguish, persecution, burdens. We could probably add the word pain. Jesus is saying, “I know you look afflicted and poor, but I consider you rich!" God sees your afflictions today. Why does it seem to take suffering to remind us that God is sovereign and will work everything out for our good and His glory? Romans 8:28 ("All things work together for good to those who love God"). We have the choice of how we to respond to all our problems. We need to have a scriptural view of suffering. Consider myrrh, of which the city of Smyrna was named after. When the myrrh fruit was crushed, it releases an aroma and was also used to anoint the priests. If you have suffered, you are now someone who can use that pain to minister to others. What an appropriate gift for Jesus from the Magi: gold (for a king), frankincense (for a burial) and myrrh (to anoint a priest). We can be most effective after we have been greatly bruised and crushed--and an aroma that is pleasing to the Lord arises from our suffering.” 3. Jesus knows their poverty. In fact, Jesus states that they are rich! The word for poverty means abject or absolute poverty. They had absolutely nothing. That was because of the persecution from Satan they were facing. Jesus is aware of us when we are in a helpless state, both spiritually and otherwise. Jesus sees what you are going through today. 4. Jesus knows their persecution. "And I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan." The Jews in Smyrna were particularly against Christianity. It didn't help that Christians replaced the catchphrase of Caesar worship, "Caesar is LORD" with "Jesus is LORD’’ when you are abandoning the compulsory worship of the state emperor. Jesus is saying that when we face persecution and trouble from people, do not forget who your adversary is really. It is not the person in front of you, it is Satan! Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 that, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." You are not fighting against your colleagues, your teachers, your in-laws, your clients, that especially hostile guy in the workplace, the people slandering you on their blog, or through that email they sent you—your struggle is not against flesh and blood! It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms! Who writes their lines? THE CORRECTION "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation 10 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 shall not be hurt by the second death.”’ Jesus' correction for them is not to fear. They were about to have 10 days of tribulation, including prison. This could have literally been 10 days, or as some have said there were the 10 years that the Rome violently persecuted Christians during this time. Either way, what is most important is that their suffering would be temporary. This promise would encourage them that there was an end in sight to their suffering. It is a sobering thought that Jesus did not spare them, but rather told them it is about to get worse, a lot worse, perhaps even resulting in death. The Christians had a choice, to compromise or to be faithful. You see, Caesar worship was required by Rome. If you persisted with Jesus is Lord and not Caesar, you would be at risk of execution. What would you do? Many of us would probably run from suffering because of fear, and we would just lie and get the certificate to spare our lives and the lives of our families. But Jesus here says, “Don’t be afraid; don’t run!” THE REWARD-THE CROWN Sometimes we are surprised by our suffering. It seems to come out of nowhere. And sometimes it seems like it will never end. But we are not to be surprised. We are to be ready. We are to endure to the end, even if that end includes death. Why? Because Jesus promises a crown. For the Smyrnaeans, it would be the crown of life--to not be hurt by the second death. Consider Jesus, and the suffering He endured. "Gethsemane" means "olive press." It has the same meaning that myrrh does. Jesus had to suffer, to give His life as a ransom for many. He did so for others, for you and me. Peter, who was eyewitness to Jesus' suffering, uses this as the motivation for you and me in our sufferings: "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for human desires, but rather for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-2). "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen"(1 Peter 5:8-11). Further thoughts Had the church in Smyrna been the most prepared of the 7 churches for the ultimate test of probable martyrdom? What do you think? For those who stand strong amid severe trials, the best is yet to come. We will receive the “crown of life” and reign with Jesus forever. Be encouraged, child of God. Buckle up your armour and get back into the fray. Do not run from the troubles of life. You are richer and better equipped than you think. Jesus is coming back soon! Jesus knows your troubles. He knows your poverty. He knows your enemies. Jesus says, “Do not fear. Be faithful, and I will give you the crown of life.” Are we willing to be faithful to the Lord no matter the cost? Amen For an in depth study on the church at Smyrna see Pilgrim Benham (Calvary Chapel)-COMFORT THROUGH THE HARD TIMES: LESSONS FROM THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA [1] Greek peirazo Lit; test, try , assay. The testing of the believer’s strength , loyalty, faith , patience etc. i.e. testing of direction and character. [2] Numbers chapters 22-25 and 31 see also 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11. For full text for printout and access to the other 'The 7 churches of Revelation' click below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/the-7-churches-of-revelation-1

What can we learn from them? With almost all these churches, there is a commendation, a criticism, and a correction. To the Church in Ephesus-wrong priorities Ephesus was the first church to be founded in Asia Minor and could be described as the church that no longer loves as it should. Revelation 2:1 “To the angel [a] of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Jesus Christ is speaking and shows His authority over the angels of the seven churches by indicating that they are in His right hand and shows His intimate care and concern for the seven churches by walking amongst them. Jesus praises their works, their endeavour and the ‘stick-ability’ to His cause. He also praises the fact that they cannot stomach false teachers and have rightly discerned such even including false apostles. Nevertheless the Ephesian church had stuck fast to their faith putting up with the various difficulties and persecutions and continued in a tireless way with their Christian service. 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favour: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Their initial spiritual spontaneity and vitality had given way to a dour routine service done out of duty rather than out of love. They have fallen away from the intimate first love of the Saviour and he commands them to do a U-turn back to Him and rekindle the first love with Him again. If they refuse to do this Jesus threatens that He will take away the witness of this church, in other words they will no longer bear the light of the Gospel and will cease to be a ‘spiritually alive’ church. It is sad to think that this actually happened. The Nicolaitans are thought to be those people who made light of sin (anti-nomianism) and were happy to join in the pagan festivals eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols and taking part in immoral pagan practices. 2:7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who are victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. They need to hear this message with their spiritual ears and take onboard what the Holy Spirit is saying to them. This is like military combat and the prize of eternal life is waiting for those who overcome the world, the flesh and the devil. The fruit of the tree of life is infinitely better food than the meat that has been sacrificed to idols and brings everlasting life. The Ephesus church had got its priorities mixed up! If your church is like the one in Ephesus, you will be getting some things right. Jesus commends them for three things: 1. Duty and responsibilities: They were hard-working, busy servants. Lots of work--but busyness in a church does not always mean the Spirit is at work. Often when things are simple, you can focus your energy on what is most important, things like in Acts 2:42 instead of all the flurry of things some churches expend all their energy doing. But Jesus was commending them for their good works. 2. Doctrine: The church at Ephesus could not bear those who were evil. They would check out, test, and confirm if someone were true or false according to Biblical orthodoxy, and if they were false, the church would rightly reject with their teaching. The word "bear" is the same word used of Jesus carrying the cross. This church could not bear the weight of wrong doctrine. They could not carry it and would not tolerate it. The church of Ephesus knew good doctrine; they knew what they believed. Oh that, the church of Jesus Christ today be more like Ephesus on that specific point! Many Christians today cannot even explain the Gospel clearly or communicate sound doctrine. 3. Determination: They were persevering and hanging on in there despite a lot of hardship, attack, and suffering. Jesus says, "You have not become weary." That is incredible! They were the marathon runners of the church! Many people give up as soon as there is a problem in their faith, but not the church of Ephesus. So, with all these positives, did Jesus just stop there? Ephesus seems a great church to be a part of. However it is less important if you are doing amazing things for God, than if you have separated yourself from the love of God. The Criticism How could we possibly forget our first love, the Lord Jesus? Here are four possible ways that we can leave our first love: 1. We can replace love for the Lord with rules and duty. Our dealings with the Lord must be more than a set of rules which are not based on a personal relationship with him. Perhaps this is what happened to the Ephesian Church? Perhaps they began to set up rigid rules and guidelines and end up serving God but out of duty, not out of desire. Obligation does not necessarily mean love. How does your own church rate in this matter? 2. We can replace love for the Lord with feelings and emotion Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. God created us with emotions, so we could be limiting our personal expression of the imago Dei if we suppressed all emotions? Jesus wept over Jerusalem, had compassion for the crowds who were unshepherded, drove out in anger the money changers from the temple. We read in Scripture that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. These are all emotional responses, and we would probably be stinting on our love for God if we were always suppressing our joy or sadness. But by the same token, we should not base the quality or reality of our love simply on how we raise our hands, pray our prayers, or cry our tears. ''True love is not a feeling by which we are overwhelmed. It is a committed, thoughtful decision." (Dr M Scott Peck) Have we replaced our love for the Lord with emotion? Has your church fellowship left your first love? 3. We can replace love with works. The church at Ephesus had gotten so bogged down with their heresy hunting that they forgot that church is where people experience the love of God and the love of God’s people. What we tend to find in most modern churches is that our people are saturated with committed busy-ness. How many of us stand exposed as being bogged down in the busy works of Christianity instead of choosing what is better (like Mary vs Martha)? 4. We can replace love with disinterest Sometimes we become desensitized to the things of God because they become over familiar. Instead of keeping our zeal for the Lord as we serve Him, we get bored by the same old routines. When there is a lack of desire in your heart for the things of God it is time for a renewing of your mind! The church of Ephesus had warm hands but cold hearts. Could that describe us today in our relationship with God? Once a thriving spiritual community, the Ephesian believers diverted their attention from Christ, to works done in His name. They had lost sight of what was most important in their relationship with Christ— their love for Him. Perhaps that is where many modern churches are today. Forgetting the height from which we have fallen, we need to repent that we may experience times of refreshing from the Lord once again. We must return to our first love and remember that He first loved us. That first love--that pure love--the love that never lets you go--the love that accepts you even now--with all your rebellion and coolness toward Him--is available for each one of us. We may not find the perfect church--but we have certainly discovered perfect love. Summary: This type of church needs to get their priorities straightened out and return to their first love. Remedial Actions (pardon the alliteration): Remember. Repent. Return. Amen Further thoughts on Ephesus It is widely accepted in business circles, that often our strengths and weaknesses can be two sides of the same coin. An example might be our determination to forge ahead is usually an asset but what about the other side of the coin, by which we ignore what other people are saying, this can indeed be a weakness! Could it be that the Ephesian church because of their zeal for duty and pure doctrine became desensitised to love and gave it a lower priority? Our first love for God cannot be easily separated from our love for the church. They had lost the balance and were putting doctrine and duty ahead of their for the church family. This is tricky because duty and doctrine are indeed important but must be balanced with our love and care for the Lord and his church family. It is possible today that many churches have got their priorities mixed up? What about your church? For an in depth treatment of the Church in Ephesus we recommend Pilgrim Benham (Calvary Chapel): A letter to a modern church. For full text for printout and access to the other 6 churches https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/the-7-churches-of-revelation

The summary of the onward transmission of Jesus’ Manifesto and the biblical basis for it applying to all believers. The summary of the onward transmission of the Great Commission is as follows below. Jesus -Luke 4:18-19 manifesto for humanity-given in the synagogue. Jesus -Mark 16:15-18 the 11 disciples-when Jesus appeared after the resurrection. Jesus -Matthew 28:18-20 great commission- to the disciples-spreading out to the nations The Holy Spirit-Acts 2:1-4 Pentecost- to the 120 in the upper room then to thousands in the Jerusalem-then beyond The bible and the church through the ages - to you and me today Does the Great Commission still apply today? Was this not just for the original 12 disciples? No see the biblical evidence below. Not everyone is an evangelist! -True but we are all called to be witnesses. Evidence that it still applies to all believers. 1.      The command to witness is for all believers. 2.      The example of ordinary believers in the early church. 3.      The Gospel places a stewardship on us. 4.      The work of the ministry in Ephesians 4:12. 1.The commands to witness are given to all followers of Christ. Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” This verse gives a command from the risen Lord to all his followers. 2 Cor. 5:18-20 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2. Consider the example of “ordinary believers” in the early church. As we follow the storyline of the early church it is obvious that the apostles sought to evangelize and disciple others. But we see ordinary believers sharing the gospel as well. We read in Acts 8:1, “And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” And what did those ordinary believers do?  Acts 8:4 “Now those who were scattered went about preaching (euangelizomenoi) the word.”  They went about sharing the gospel with others. 3. Consider the stewardship the gospel confers on us. Jesus reminds us, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12:48). We have been given no greater gift than the gospel, and we have no greater stewardship than to share that message of good news with others. Paul expresses it well in 2 Corinthians 5:14: “for the love of Christ compels us.” 4. Finally, consider what Paul calls “the work of ministry” in Ephesians 4:11-12 The 5-fold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers). The reason God “gifts” the church with such leaders is so that they will “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” -(Eph. 4:12).  And we should certainly include sharing the Gospel in “the work of ministry.” In conclusion all believers need to be carrying on the work of the Great Commission today. Amen Personal Prayer