Today’s passage: Revelation 3:1-6

Helpful thoughts:

• Sardis as a city experienced two military defeats where the blame was placed on the failure of the watchmen to keep their eyes out.  The church at Sardis was making the same mistake, so Jesus tells them to wake up.
• It is possible to have the reputation of being alive as a church but in truth be dead.
• To those in the visible church who are truly following Christ, His return is a joyful expectation full of reward and delight.  To those in the visible church who are dead and not truly following Jesus, they are to hear the words, “you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”

Questions to consider:

1. What are some things we might see a church doing that would make us consider it to be alive, even thriving, that are not actually things the Bible commands the church to do?  Does that make all church activities not directly commanded in Scripture wrong?  Are fun youth events, sewing groups, or basketball open gyms wrong?
2. What do living healthy churches do that dead churches do not?
3. In what ways are you participating in the things that make the church alive and healthy?  How can you be a conqueror with the rest of Christ’s church today?

Today’s passage: Revelation 2:18-29

Helpful thoughts:

• Christ, with eyes like a flame of fire can see all things.  His feet of burnished bronze reminds the reader of his sovereign authority.  We enter the throne room of the King and sit under his rule.
• From the notes in the ESV Study Bible: “Thyatira’s strengths and weaknesses are the inverse of those at Ephesus. This church is strong in love evidenced in works; but it lacks discernment and tolerates heresy.”
  • The prophetess titled, “Jezebel” is commanded to repent in these verses.  But also, the church is being rebuked for it’s failure to pursue the discipline of “Jezebel.”   The church is responsible before God to maintain its purity.
• Jesus sees that there are people within the church who are holding fast to the gospel message and are satisfied in it, and there are others who think they want/need more.  When people go after more than what Christ has given in the gospel, they are actually settling for less and rejecting Christ altogether.

Questions to consider:

1. Why was Christ right to rebuke the church for not pursuing discipline of this prophetess?  How was the tolerance of her teaching and actions harming the church, the testimony of the church in the community, the reputation of Christ, and even the prophetess herself?  What must a church who loves God and loves their neighbors do when unrepentant sin is occurring in their midst?
2. How do these commands concerning the purity of the church and repentance help us to grow in wisdom concerning the true definition of love and wisdom in knowing when our patience has crossed the line and turned into passivity?
3. How does the depiction of Christ as omniscient and sovereign in verse 18 set the tone for this letter?  Why did the church in Thyatira need to listen and heed what Jesus said to them?  Why must we still today?  Who is Jesus?

Today’s passage: Revelation 2:12-17

Helpful thoughts:

• Christ reveals Himself to the church at Pergamum as “him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”  This sword is pictured as proceeding from his mouth (1:16) and depicts Christ’s authoritative word of judgment.
  • If the church at Pergamum does not follow this instruction to rebuke false teachers, Jesus will be ready to Himself.
• Because Balaam could not curse the people of Israel in the wilderness, he suggested temptation instead (Numbers 31:16).  It worked (Numbers 25:1-5).
  • Pergamum was allowing teaching in the church which promoted the same practices.  Their sin was not necessarily participating in the idolatry or the immorality, but failing to rebuke those who taught it.  What we teach matters to God.
• White stones were given in that culture to champion athletes as a token for entry into the celebration after the event was completed.  They were also used to designate a vote of acquittal by a juror.  Either parallel would fit here.  Those who follow Christ are justified by His shed blood and invited to the victory banquet (Revelation 19:9)!

Questions to consider:

1. What kind of teaching does Jesus forbid in this passage?  Who does He command to put a stop to that kind of teaching?  And specifically, where (or in the presence of whom) are we responsible to prevent that teaching from being presented?
2. Even if we think people won’t listen to us, why should we proceed in the effort to purify the church from false teaching?  Who will ultimately win the struggle and purify the church?  What part are we truly playing in Christ’s work to present to Himself a pure church?
3. Who is Jesus telling to repent in verse 16?  Why isn’t Christ speaking to the false teacher’s?  Whose servants are they?  Whose servants are we?

Today’s passage: Revelation 2:8-11

Helpful thoughts:

• The church in Smyrna receives no rebuke from Jesus, but they do receive what we might consider to be a challenging instruction.
• The Christians in Smyrna may have been poor in the world’s eyes, but they were rich in the Lord’s eyes (The opposite will be true for those in Laodicea – 3:17).
• These believers were going to suffer, even to death.  But Christ gives them promises concerning their suffering:
  • It would be brief.
  • Faithfulness was possible.
  • Reward was certain.
  • Life with Christ is eternal.
  • They would never be hurt by death again.

Questions to consider:

1. To a church already under persecution who would also see martyrdom in their future, how does Jesus describe Himself in verse 8?  How does the resurrection of Jesus give hope even in death to Christians who suffer?
2. How is it possible to be rich when you are financially poor?  How does God measure blessing?  What is the definition or measure of a “good life” for the Christian?  How would this measurement help us also to better discern what a “good day” really is?
3. What did Jesus death and resurrection have to do with His ability to promise that His own would never be hurt by the second death (Eternal judgment, separation from God)?  Why can Jesus make that promise?

Today’s passage: Revelation 2:1-7

Helpful thoughts:

• This is the first of seven letters Christ gave to seven churches in Asia Minor: To the church in Ephesus.
• Each letter begins with a description of Christ, then shares the message of Christ, then provides a promise from Christ.
• The Nicolaitans are believed to have been a group of people within the visible church who taught that our salvation was secured in such a way that would allow believers to live a life of sin without fear of judgment.
  • Their teaching would encourage people that since Jesus already paid for all our sin, we could live in and of the world and practice all the sin we desired (Romans 6:1-2).  They wanted Jesus to be their savior, but not their Lord.

Questions to consider:

1. For what does Christ commend the church at Ephesus?  What seemed to be their strengths and areas of faithfulness?
2. For what does Christ rebuke the church at Ephesus?  In what way might they have made the mistake of thinking knowledge of the word should be equated with maturity in the faith?  What do mature Christians increasingly do as a result of their knowledge of the revealed will of God in His Word?
3. How is the Lordship of Christ emphasized throughout this passage, in all three sections of the letter to the church at Ephesus?

Today’s passage: Revelation 1:9-20

Helpful thoughts:

• Under persecution for his faith, John had been exiled to the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of modern day Turkey.  This island had been used in the Roman Empire to detain political prisoners.  Of the seven churches who would receive this letter, Ephesus was the closest city.  Today, Patmos is part of Greece.
  • Here is a map of the locations of the seven churches.
  • Here is a map with the location of Patmos.
• Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, John sees the Lord, Jesus Christ!  He is given the vision and message of Revelation in the same fashion as prophets like Ezekiel and Isaiah.
• The angels of the churches are most likely references to the personification of each church.  The word, “angels” means messenger.  Some have believed these angels are truly heavenly angels, some think they are pastors (preachers), some think they are the men who would take the letter and read to the churches.  However, when each individual message is given to each church, the messages begin with, “To the angel of the church in…” and then the messages are written to the churches themselves.

Questions to consider:

1. On what day did John receive this vision?  What name does he give for Sunday?  What are some implications of the name the early church gave to this day of the week?  What is it’s primary purpose?  To whom does it belong?
2. What things does John see when he sees Jesus?  How do the things he describes give insight into who Jesus is, what He has accomplished, His authority to judge, etc.?
3. What did John do when he saw Jesus and realized who He was (Verse 17)?  What would have been the sense of glory and gravity John felt in that moment that made him do that?  What reverence, respect, fear, love and obedience is properly due to our Lord and Savior?

Today’s passage: Revelation 1:4-8

Helpful thoughts:

• This letter was written by the Apostle John first to seven specific churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).
• It seems best to understand the “seven spirits” of verse 4 to be referring to the Holy Spirit.  This phrase could be translated or understood as “the sevenfold Spirit,” emphasizing the completeness of the Spirit of God.
  • This interpretation would also complete a mention of each member of the Trinity in verses 4 and 5.
• When Jesus comes again, all will see Him.  All will be judged.  Those who believed will experience eternal joy.  Those who rejected Him will wail.
  • We have reason to be eager to reach the lost!

Questions to consider:

1. How did God make us part of His kingdom?  What do verses 5 and 6 teach us and help us to better understand the gospel message?
2. There are several descriptions of God in this passage.  Which one(s) stick out to you?  What do we learn about God through these names and descriptions?
3. In a culture that would be prone to think it isn’t nice to cause people to wail on account of your presence, what does the reality of who God is demand from His creation?  Why doesn’t the Bible need to apologize for it’s directness?  Does God need to answer to mankind or will mankind answer to God?  Why is it so important we remember this?

Today’s passage: Revelation 1:1-3

Helpful thoughts:

• Revelation is a book of prophecy given to and through the Apostle John.  John identifies himself as more of a recipient of the book, our Lord being the author.
• This book is considered “apocalyptic literature.”  The word “apocalypse” means revelation.
• This letter was carried to churches and read aloud.  The reader was (and is) blessed.  Those who hear are blessed.  Those who keep what is written are blessed.  Be ready, Jesus is coming.

Questions to consider:

1. What is being revealed in the book of Revelation according to this text?  To whom are we to give our greatest attention?
2. How does John articulate the authority behind this letter?  Why should we believe it is true and that it certainly will happen?  Whose credibility guarantees this outcome?
3. What does it mean to keep God’s Word?  What is the difference between hearing and keeping?