CONDITION FOR REVIVAL: SEEING THE CHURCH AS CHRIST SEES THE CHURCH
REVELATION 1:18-20
Introduction: We have looked at two conditions which prepare us for revival and a fresh outpouring from God; the first – Seeing God in His Holiness; the second – Seeing Ourselves as God Sees Us. Today we look at a third condition; seeing the church as Christ sees the church.
In Revelation 2 and 3, we have Christ giving to John a message to the seven churches established in Asia Minor. Each church is given a description of what Christ has observed in them. Christ gives messages of rebuke, instruction, and encouragement to these churches. These churches, prophetically, are symbolic of the church age and the course of church history. But they are also a picture of the various types members of local congregations. They reveal what Christ sees when he looks at the Body of Christ.
I. The Church at Ephesus – Revelation 2:1-6
A. Here was a church filled with Christians who go through the motions.
B. Here we see members who believe the right things, who work ceaselessly, and who stand resolutely but who do it all mechanically without a love for what they are doing, without a love for those who they do it with, or without a growing and deepening love of Him who redeemed them. They are active and busy but doing what they do without the right motivation. Their hearts are not in what they are doing.
C. Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
D. They have forgotten that one part of their calling is to grow in grace, knowledge, and love for God.
E. 2 Peter 3:18 “...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
F. Philippians 1:19 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment”
G. Keys to knowing when one has lost their first love from Pulpit Helps:
1. When my delight in the Lord is no longer as great as my delight in someone else, I have lost my first love.
2. When my soul does not long for times of rich fellowship in God’s Word or in prayer, I have lost my first love.
3. When my thoughts during leisure moments do not reflect upon the Lord, I have lost my first love.
4. When I claim to be “only human” and easily give in to those things I know displease the Lord, I have lost my first love.
5. When I do not willingly and cheerfully give to God’s work or to the needs of others, I have lost my first love.
6. When I cease to treat every Christian Brother as I would the Lord, I have lost my first love.
7. When I view the commands of Christ as restrictions to my happiness rather than expressions of His love, I have lost my first love.
8. When I inwardly strive for the acclaim of this world rather than the approval of the Lord, I have lost my first love.
9. When I fail to make Christ or His words known because I fear rejection, I have lost my first love.
10. When I refuse to give up an activity which I know is offending a weaker brother, I have lost my first love.
11. When I become complacent to sinful conditions around me, I have lost my first love.
12. When I am unable to forgive another for offending me, I have lost my first love. - Pulpit Helps, May, 1992
II. The Church at Smyrna – Revelation 2:8-10
A. There are Christians who are under fire in their Christian lives and struggling with all the problems and perplexities causing them to be in danger of throwing in the towel, giving up, quitting.
B. The English word tribulation is from the Greek - thilipsis, which means crushing beneath a weight. The word poverty is from the Greek - ptocheia, which means real destitution. Those of Smyrna are under much personal pressure and have virtually no material goods.
C. Revelation 2:10 “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 ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
D. Warned not to give up or give in but to remain faithful.
E. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT) “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”
F. In one of the German art galleries a painting called "Cloud Lane" hangs at the end of a long dark hall. At first glance it appears to be a huge, ugly mass of confused color that is unattractive and foreboding. But when you look closer, you see portrayed on the canvas an innumerable company of angels. How tempted we are to run in despair when clouds of trials and temptations come our way. If we would look closely at our situation through the eyes of faith, we would also see God’s angels of mercy coming to our aid. – copied
III. The Church at Pergamos – Revelation 2:12-16
A. Here are Christians who compromise truth in order to avoid difficulty. They want doctrines that don’t offend, that don’t set Christians out from others. They want to compromisingly incorporate various aspects of other faiths. They are not necessarily denying their Christian faith, but mix non-Christian and worldly teachings and practices with Christian doctrine and practices.
B. Revelation 2:14-15 “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”
C. Some believers want a religion that suits their individual tastes rather than to hold fast to the fundamental demands of God’s Word.
D. 2 Corinthians 6:17 “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”
E. When we hold to the Word of God unreservedly, we are called "Bible thumpers", "narrow minded", and "judgmental". People tell us that we must be more open-minded and tolerant of all other faiths and alternative life styles accepting them as merely another view of the Truth.
IV. The Church at Thyatira – Revelation 2:18-25
A. In this church were Christians who they had lost their sensitivity to error and had compromised the glorious truths of both doctrinal and moral uprightness. They allowed a certain person, Jezebel, a woman with appearing to have gifts and who claimed to have a special calling, to be an evil influence in the congregation, teaching what was contrary to Gods clear revelation in His Word and leading many into religious and/or moral compromise.
B. Revelation 2:20 “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”
C. This woman urged them to compromise in order to comply with the world’s standards and thereby gain the acceptance of non-believers, advantage in business, and prosperity in other areas of life. This false prophetess was not necessarily trying to destroy the church; she just wanted the elect to view the truth of God in a more liberal way than Jesus Christ and the apostles had taught.
D. The temptation to compromise one’s Christian beliefs in Thyatira must have been strong for many church members. Robert H. Mounce explains: "In a city whose economic life was dominated by trade guilds in which pagan religious practices had become criteria for membership, the Christian convert would be faced with the problem of compromising his stand at least enough to allow participation in a common meal dedicated to some pagan deity. To reject this accommodation could mean social isolation and economic hardship." The Book of Revelation, p. 103)
E. Jezebel’s teaching was most likely – you can be the friend of the world and still be the friend of God.
F. James 4:4 “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
G. There are those who believe that Christians can look like, smell like, and act like the world and it’s alright. God says it’s not alright.
H. These Christians would rather be entertained and soothed than instructed or corrected.
V. The Church at Sardis – Revelation 3:1-4
A. At Sardis, there were Christians who went only so far in their faith. They were lethargic, lazy half-baked Christians.
B. Revelation 3:2 “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.”
C. "Half commitment" is the hesitation between following Christ and being merely religious. "Half commitment" is spouting pious words about submission while resisting all authority. "Half commitment" is justifying everything you want to do because, if you were God, you would let you do it. "Half commitment" is choosing convenience as preferential to costly sacrifice. "Half commitment" is being an admirer of Jesus without being His disciple. "Half commitment" tips God instead of taxing one’s soul. "Half commitment" talks much, sings some, gives little, cares less, criticizes a lot, and serves never. "Half commitment" creates sour servants, frustrated fellowships, proof-text piety, belligerent believers, and witless witnesses. - Dan Yeary, in "Proclaim," 1989, #4, p. 8.
D. This kind of church member is not under persecution. There is no reason to persecute them. Why would Satan want to? They are members of the Body of Christ in name only.
E. 2 Timothy 3:12 “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
F. These types of church members are so spiritually dead already that they are not worth attacking.
G. They are so spiritually dead and so lazy that they just accept whatever doctrines seem pleasant and easy to comply with. They are just drifting along in ignorance to their plight and the serious danger that confronts them.
VI. The Church at Philadelphia – Revelation 3:7-11
A. Philadelphian Christians are members of the Body of Christ who are faithful to God and obey Him both in action and service.
B. Revelation 3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”
C. Fred Craddock, in an address to ministers, caught the practical implications of consecration. “To give my life for Christ appears glorious,” he said. “To pour myself out for others…to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom—I’ll do it. I’m ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory. “We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking $l,000 bill and laying it on the table— ‘Here’s my life, Lord. I’m giving it all.’ But the reality for most of us is that he sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $l,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid’s troubles instead of saying, ‘Get lost.’ Go to a committee meeting. Give a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home...Usually giving our life to Christ isn’t glorious. It’s done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it’s harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul.” - Darryl Bell
D. Mr. Bells at Macedonian Baptist Temple has cancer. This man comes to church every time the door is open. He doesn’t have a face from the upper lip on up. It is eaten up with cancer and he has to wear bandages constantly. Pastor Doss said he has never heard him complain. He just comes faithfully. – copied
E. God isn’t looking for shooting stars or novas; he’s looking for shinning stars that shine in the darkness steadfastly.
F. 1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
VII. The Church at Laodicea – Revelation 3:14-18
A. Christians who have become lukewarm – complacent and self – deluded.
B. Revelation 3:15-16 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
C. Laodicean Christians are ignorant of their spiritual condition. They do not realize they are spiritually poor, miserable, wretched, blind, and naked. They think that they are OK.
D. Laodicean Christians are so on again off again that they are of little value to the growth of the kingdom and of little value to the world. Both the world and the church look at them wondering what they are.
E. Some Christians have just enough religion to make them miserable: they are not happy at the dance, and they do not rejoice in worship either. It’s because they are trying to march to two different drummers: "There is no peace in the border lands. The lukewarm Christian is a torment to himself and of no benefit to others." -copied
F. Lot is the prime example of the loss of influence. Consider the reception of his witness in Genesis 19:14-15 “So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up; get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.”
G. There are a lot of Lots in Christianity, saved living so compromised in this world that have lost all Christian influence and witness to those around them. Does your life reflect Christ enough for others to have faith in you to trust you when you tell them that Jesus is the only way to Heaven and without Him they will go to hell.
