The Church in Thyatira was the opposite of the church in Ephesus. It was good at love, but it compromised on truth and holiness. Jesus calls for this church, and us, to have a love that is increasing - more than we had at first. Yet they lacked discernment. Like Jezebel who is leading Christians astray, Thyatira allowed sin to coexist within the Christian world. Jesus calls his church to cast her out and to hold on until the end. When he does he gives his church authority over the nations. The Bright Morning Star dispels the darkness and shines on all that’s right.

Today we are living in the world of the church in Pergamum. This was a church that had to be warned against embracing the idolatry of the world around them. This threat is one inside the church when we tolerate the false teaching of embracing this idolatry. Christ calls us to repent, but he enables us to put sin to death. And he also promises help. He gives us his heavenly manna and his white stone with our names that are written on it.

The church in Smyrna was a suffering church. This church was not corrected for wrongdoing because it was difficult to see beyond their suffering. Many churches today are persecuted, but here in North America our freedoms don’t always lead to political persecution. Yet many individuals continue to suffer. When this happens, Christ calls us to suffer unto glory - to seek the crown of eternal life. Christ’s power helps his suffering church to overcome.

The church in Ephesus was doing well at holding fast to the truth. They worked hard, they patiently endured, and they practiced church discipline to those who were evil. But one thing they did not do well was that they abandoned the love of God and neighbor that they had at first. They were called out by Christ to repent and do the work of love. Christ is warning his church to pursue both love and doctrine. In the end they are promised the tree of life. God promises that what was once lost will be restored, because Jesus has overcome.

The early church was a suffering church. John was banished to the island of Patmos when he received this message from the Lord that is unveiled. When we feel as if there is no voice speaking, Jesus comes to us and speaks. He gives some hard-hitting truths to his church, but he also gives them encouragement to persevere and the goal of living forever with him in paradise. Join me in this 8-part series as we unpack Revelation 1-3.

In Acts 6 there was a great dispute because the Greek-speaking widows were being neglected. The apostles appointed servants who were filled with the Holy Spirit to do this important work so that the elders could devote themselves to the ministry of the word. Churches ordain deacons for this important work, just as Christ calls the church to engage in mercy, serving the least of these.

Ezekiel 34 speaks about a group of shepherds that were in charge of the congregation and who were doing a pretty bad job at shepherding. They were feeding themselves and hurting the sheep. God comes in and promises that he is going to remove those false shepherds, and he will replace them with shepherds after his own heart. God promises to restore shepherding care to his people. Elders are appointed to care for the flock, to feed the sheep and to guide them towards Jesus. And Jesus himself promises to be the One Shepherd to ultimately provide for his sheep.

Jesus was seen by his opponents as someone who was useless, to be thrown out like a piece of trash to be easily discarded. In the end they had him killed. Because of our own sin we, too, do not always value Jesus for who he is. In today’s passage Jesus demonstrates his great authority. He calls us to respond to that great authority by trusting in him as our great savior and making him the Lord of our life. We do that by giving our wholehearted devotion to him above all other allegiances.

In Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives sits to the east, 300 feet higher than Jerusalem. For many years the glory of God had left the temple. Now with the coming of Jesus, the glory of God comes back down from the Mount of Olives and has returned once again to the temple. The question then comes, now that the glory has returned to the temple, how will we respond? Will we listen to Jesus’ command to have faith in God with a faith that can move mountains? Do we follow his command to pray faithfully? Do we follow his command to forgive? May we know this glorious savior who has reconciled to himself all things.

When we see someone begging for money, it’s hard to know how best to help. It’s all too easy to judge them for their outward appearance and position in life. Yet when it comes down to it, we are all beggars, because we are in need of Christ’s mercy. We should get what we deserve, but Christ, in his great mercy, turns and calls sinners to himself. May we come to this merciful savior as he gently calls to us.