The Revelation Of Jesus Christ – Chapter 3
I. Things Which Thou Hast Seen – Rev 1
II. Things Which Are – The Church Age – Rev 2-3
A. An Introduction To The Letters To The Churches
B. An Examination Of The Seven Letters To The Seven Churches
1. The Letter To The Church At Ephesus – Rev 2:1-7
2. The Letter To The Church At Smyrna – Rev 2:8-11
3. The Letter To The Church At Pergamos – Rev 2:12-17
4. The Letter To The Church At Thyatira – Rev 2:18-29
5. The Letter To The Church At Sardis – Rev 3:1-6
Rev 3:1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”
a. The Author of the Letter – Jesus Christ – Rev. 3:1
(1) He that has the seven spirits of God – Isa. 11:2
Isa 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
-1 The spirit of the Lord
-2 The spirit of wisdom
-3 The spirit of understanding
-4 The spirit of counsel
-5 The spirit of strength (might)
-6 The spirit of knowledge
-7 The spirit of the fear of the Lord (reverence)
(2) He that has the seven stars – Rev. 1:16; 20
b. The Address of the Church – Sardis
(1) Located 30 miles South of Thyatira
(2) Very wealthy city
(3) Capital of Lydian kingdom
c. The Addressee – The angel of the Church in Sardis – Rev. 3:1
He has the angels – messengers – pastors of all the churches that are in his hands. The angel of this church is not going to like the message God is sends him.
d. The Awareness – Rev. 3:1
(1) I know your deeds
The only deeds listed here is that they have a name – but that name is not consistent with their character. What is their name? Alive – but they are dead.
1 John 5:12 “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
They had the name of the Son but I wonder if they really had the Son. It is one thing to call yourself a Christian – it is another thing to be one.
(2) I know you have a name that you are alive
(a) I know you are dead
(3) I have not found your deeds completed – Rev 3:2
Rev 3:2 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.’
e. The Admonishment – Rev 3:2
(1) Wake up
(2) Strengthen
(a) The things that remain
-1 Which are about to die
Rev 3:3 'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.’
f. The Appeal – Rev 3:3
(1) Remember
(a) What you have seen
(b) What you have heard
(2) Keep
(3) Repent
g. The Alternative – Rev 3:3
(1) If you do not wake up
(a) I will come like a thief – Matt 24:42-43; John 10:10
-1 You will not know the hour
Mat 24:42-43 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.”
John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
*An Assessment – Rev 3:4
Rev 3:4 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.’
(1) A few unsoiled
(a) They will walk with me in white
(b) They are worthy
h. The Final Admonishment – Rev 3:5-6
Rev 3:5-6 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
(1) Overcome
(2) Listen
(a) Rewards
-1 Clothed in white garments
-2 Name not erased from the book of life
-3 Name confessed
-a Before the Father
-b Before His angles
6. The Letter To The Church At Philadelphia – Rev. 3:7-13
Rev 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:”
a. The Author of the Letter – Jesus Christ – Rev 3:7
(1) He who is holy – Mark 1:24; Rev. 4:8; Isaiah 6:3
Mar 1:23-24 ‘Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!"
(2) He who is true – John 14:6; Rev 19:11
John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. “
(3) He who has the key of David – Isaiah 22:22
Isa 22:22 "Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open.”
(4) He opens and no one can shut
(5) He shuts and no can open
This speaks of two more attributes that shows us that Jesus Is God – He has power.
b. The Address of the Church – Philadelphia
(1) Located 25 miles Southeast of Sardis
(2) Constructed around 189 B. C.
c. The Addressee – The angel of the Church in Philadelphia – Rev. 3:7
Rev 3:8 'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.’
d. The Awareness – Rev. 3:8
(1) I know your deeds – v. 8
e. The Actions – Rev 3:8-10
(1) I have put an open door – v. 8
(a) Because you have a little power
(b) Because you have kept My word
(c) Because you have not denied My name
Rev 3:9 'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.’
(2) I will cause – I will make – The synagogue of Satan – v. 9
(a) To come
(b) To bow down at your feet
(c) To know I love you
Rev 3:10 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.’
*Because you have kept the word of My perseverance – v. 10
(4) I will keep you – v. 10
(a) From the hour of testing (temptation)
* The testing is – a trial, a proving
* The testing is future
* The testing is limited – the hour
* The testing is world wide
* The testing is limited – those who dwell on earth
* The church will not be tested – I will keep you
Some believe that this statement supports the pre-tribulation rapture of the church.
Rev 3:11 'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.’
f. The Appeal – I am coming quickly – v. 11
(1) Hold fast to what you have
(a) That no one will take your crown
Rev 3:12-13 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; 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 out of heaven from My God, and My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
g. The Final Admonishment – Rev. 3:12-13
(1) Overcome – v. 12
(a) I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God
(b) He will not go out of the temple
(c) The name of My God will be written on him
(d) The name of the city of God will be written on him
-1 New Jerusalem
*Which comes down out of heaven
(e) My new name will be written on him
(2) Listen – v. 13
7. The Letter To The Church At Laodicea – Rev. 3:14-22
Rev 3:14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:”
a. The Author of the Letter – Jesus Christ – Rev 3:14
(1) The Amen
(2) The Faithful Witness – Rev 1:5
(3) The True Witness
(4) The Beginning of the creation of God – Col. 1:15-17
Col 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
b. The Address of the Church – Laodicea
(1) A prosperous city – commercial and financial center
(2) A well populated city – estimated 7,500 Jewish men
(3) Around 40 miles South/East of Philadelphia
c. The Addressee – The angel of the Church in Laodicea – Rev. 3:14
Rev 3:15-17 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,’
d. The Awareness – Rev. 3:15
(1) I know your deeds
e. The Admonishment – Rev. 3:15-17
(1) You are neither hot nor cold
(2) I wish you were either hot or cold
(3) You are lukewarm
(a) I will spit you out of my mouth – Matt 7:21-23
Mat 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
(4) You think you are rich – wealthy – have need of nothing
(b) You are wretched – miserable – poor – naked
Rev 3:18 ‘I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.’
f. The Advice – Rev. 3:18
(1) Buy from Me gold
(a) Refined with fire
(b) That you may be rich
(2) Buy from Me white garments
(a) That you may clothe yourselves
(b) That the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed
(3) Buy from Me eye salve
(a) That you may see
Rev 3:19-21 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
g. The Appeal – Rev. 3:19-21
(1) Those who I love
(a) I reprove
(b) I discipline
-1 Be zealous
-2 Repent
(2) I stand at the door and knock
(a) Hear
(b) Open
-1 I will come in
-2 I will dine with him – he with me
h. The Final Admonishment –
(1) Overcome
(a) Sit down with Me
-1 As I sat down with the Father
(2) Listen
