Revelation Transforms - Revelation 2-3 (notes)

Revelation Transforms The Church - Revelation 2-3

The Lord Jesus Christ

Desires to transform our church into a living example of Jesus Christ in this community. Just as we talked about the transformation of the believer into the image of Jesus from glory to glory, so is Jesus coming for a glorious church free from spots, wrinkles or any other disfigurement a Church holy and perfect.

Ephesians 5:25-27

What does a Transformed church look like?

1. It looks like Jesus.
2. It acts like Jesus.
3. It is sacrificial like Jesus was.
4. It is a servant church like Jesus.

The Word of God Was Given By Inspiration

2 Timothy 3 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for re-setting the direction of a man’s life and training him in good living. The scriptures are the comprehensive equipment of the man of God and fit him fully for all branches of his work.

Keys To Revelation

• Revelation is never something that is not found in scripture but something already in scripture. Revelation corrects erroneous concepts about God in every generation. In every generation satan steals the Word so God sends revival and in that outpouring the spirit of wisdom and revelation comes on the people of God to correct what the church has lost.
• Revelation also equips the church to reach its generation.

Keys

People in any given period of time can also miss the truth God has for that time like the Jewish leaders in the time of Jesus Christ. JESUS was God, the greatest figure to ever walk the earth with the most powerful teachings ever spoken by anyone.

The World longs to see Jesus in us. We need to look like Jesus if we are going to win the lost and change the world. We will be transformed into His image as we behold in the Word the Glory of the Lord. As we are transformed by the renewing of our thinking the church is transformed by the teaching of the Word God.

Principles in Rev. 2

1. The loveless church must return to her first love.
2. The persecuted church must endure.
3. The over tolerant church must not put up with evil but overcome evil with good.
4. The compromised church must repent and turn back to pure devotion to Jesus Christ and to the pure teaching of the Word of God.

The Seven Churches

1. To the pastor of the loveless church Jesus is revealed as the one who holds the leaders of the church in His right hand.
2. To the pastor of the persecuted church Jesus is revealed as the eternal God to look beyond your current circumstances & see your eternal future. Poverty caused by persecution isn’t a sign of the spiritual condition of the church. You are rich, don’t fear, be faithful to the end and Jesus will give you the crown of life.
3. To the pastor of the over tolerant church Jesus is revealed as the one who has a two edged sword who will correct sin or false teaching in the church. We need the Word to keep us pure and in line doctrinally. If we don’t turn from sin & false teaching God will come to us with His sword to discipline us.
4. To the pastor of the compromised church Jesus is revealed as the one with fire blazing eyes as the one who sees through everything. The one with brazen feet means He went to hell for us so we don’t have to go to hell.

There Is A Process

• In how God communicates with the church. The Lord speaks to the leader of the church, not a prophet or an elder or a mature member of the church.
• Write down what you see, both the things which are now, and the things which are to be hereafter. Rev. 1:19

Jesus Promises Something to Every Church

Ephesian church 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Smyrna church

11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Pergamos Church

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Church at Thyatira

26-29 To the one who is victorious, who carries out my work to the end, I will give authority over the nations, just as I myself have received authority from my Father, and I will give him the morning star. He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter’s vessels shall be broken to pieces. Let the listener hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.

A different part of Jesus Christ is revealed to every church.

The Sleeping church

1-3 Write this to the angel of the Church in Sardis: These are the words of Him who holds in His hand the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.

Conclusion

Personal testimony of Son Life.

Revival is God visiting a place with His power and His might and shattering the forces of evil and spreading His Goodness in that place. Revival is Jesus coming to His church and revealing to His church her condition and then saying I have something much better for you, here it is, take it, embrace it, receive it and run with it and I will show you what I can do when you trust Me, when you allow Me to be the Lord of your life and the head of My church.