Revelation 3 - Love and Thanksgiving (notes)

Revelation 3 - Love and Thanksgiving

The Lord Jesus Christ

• Desires to transform our church into a living example of the Kingdom of God in the world today.
• Gives advice to the church at Philadelphia that he has the key of David. This implies that worship is a vital part of being a church after the heart of God.

The Philadelphia Church

• Is the church of brotherly love. Jesus says that only God can open doors and no man can close the door that God opens. God had opened a door of ministry for this church and only God can close it. It is the same for us. On the other hand God closes doors that no man can open and if God closes a door, let’s not break it down we will only suffer for our rebellion.
• Was a church that had lost its influence and strength and only Jesus could return it to its former power.

The Devil & The Church

• Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it…”
• The Devil always tries to get into the church. He does it with leaders who allow the people of God to put them into an unhealthy place. Pastors need to stay close to Jesus so that they never allow the church to elevate them to a place that is unhealthy.

How Satan Enters The Church:

When a leader thinks he is above God’s Law and thinks he can not be rebuked, removed or replaced.

Love - Rev. 3

• 10 'You have kept My command to put up with anything that happens. So I will keep you from the time of suffering that is going to come to the whole world. It will test those who live on the earth.'
• When the church walks in love Jesus promises to keep that church from the time of suffering that will hit the world.

The Blessing

• Of holding on to Jesus. No one will be able to take away our crown.
• Of overcoming. Jesus will make us pillars in the temple of God, we will always be in God’s presence. He will write the name of God on them and the name of the city of God on them. In Rome when someone received high national honor their names were engraved in public places on stone.

Views On The 7 Churches

• Every church is a period in church history.
• Jesus addressing people in the seven churches are people in every church in history.
• Since the church is individual people Jesus is speaking to us as individuals and as a corporate group. Yes, Jesus mentions false teaching, false leaders in that time in history in Asia Minor but if you look at the church today there are similarities in the church today.

The Admonitions

That were given in the first century apply to the church today. Jesus is the head of the church and when He makes a statement, or a rebuke or a compliment to a church almost 2,000 years ago it can apply to the church today.

The Church of Laodicea

• Jesus is revealed as a faithful witness and the ruler of God’s creation. Jesus knows what the church is doing, He is all knowing. This church was lukewarm, neither cold nor hot and that makes God sick.
• If there is anything that gets to God it is when His people think they don’t need God, they are rich, powerful, popular, in, cool, etc.
• When a believer (who is part of the church) gets to this point Jesus says, “you don’t realize how pitiful and miserable you have become. You are poor, blind and naked.

Jesus Recommends We

1. Buy gold tried by fire. Jesus is pure gold, nothing is worth more than Him. When I come to Jesus and ask for help, I let Him know that I can not make it on my own, I get Him. Sometimes a church becomes successful and it takes its eyes off what is really important. Then you will be rich.
2. Buy from Him white clothes to wear. This is when I clothe myself with His righteousness. It is not good works that justifies us but the blood of Jesus.
3. Buy from Him healing lotion to put on your eyes to see.

We Are Most Vulnerable when we are most blessed. When we are in need we tend to put our trust in the Lord. This is why revivals usually start in very needy places with very needy people. The more need there is, the greater possibility for God to work. Example of Israel in Egypt. They called on God in their time of need and God heard.

The key: We must always be needy of Him. We must always realize how impossible life is without Jesus and call on Him and He will help us, regardless of how much money we have in the bank, or how popular we are or how powerful we think we are.

Sometimes The Church becomes like the church in Laodicea, rich (in our eyes but poor in God’s), powerful, self indulgent and popular. This is when we need Jesus the most. This is when we are most vulnerable. This is when we are ready for a fall.

The best medicine for this sickness is remembrance and thanksgiving. If we become powerful, rich and popular remember from where God has raised us up from and be thankful for the blessings of the Lord.