Taught by Grace

In Revelation 2-3, the church looks the opposite of worthy. Often having serious sin, spiritual problems, religious persecution, and the rest, the church looks totally unimpressive. But in Revelation 4-5, the worthy one comes to the forefront, Jesus steps forward to be seen as the only one who is worthy above all.

What kind of sin disgusts Jesus? He is certainly appalled by sexual sin, religious idolatry, and worldly compromise, but in the seven letters to the churches of Revelation, his harshest words are reserved for lukewarm Laodicea. In this letter to Laodicea, Jesus calls them and us out of spiritual apathy and lukewarmness by showing his disgust for it, describing what it looks like, detailing a path back, and revealing that he rebukes in grace.

The church at Philadelphia didn't look like much financially, numerically, or physically, but they were viewed highest regard by Jesus for one reason - They were faithful to Him. Listen to this week's letter to the seven churches as Jesus reminds us of the necessity and value of faithfulness.

Jesus speaks to the church at Sardis unveiling that they are a dead church. They look alive and check a lot of boxes, but they are a largely spiritually dead and unregenerate group of people. However, even in this dead body, there are living saints. Jesus speaks some of the greatest words of comfort to those who hadn't defiled themselves.

Jesus speaks to the fourth church in Revelation - Thyatira. this was a church that had many good things going for it. They had love, service, and works, but that had one big problem. They had one big problem in the form of a person named Jezebel. A false teacher had slithered her way into the church and was wreaking havoc on the church. Jesus speaks to warn and call this church to repent and turn or judgment would come.

The church at Pergamos was a good church in many ways. They had stayed faithful to Christ even though they were planted in Satan's backyard. They endured through persecution. They didn't deny Christ's name.

However, the danger of compromise had crept into this church. Pergamos was allowing the Nicolaitans to come in and teach that believers could live however they wanted to, embracing idolatry and immorality. Jesus speaks to warn them of allowing this compromise to remain in the church.

Through this second letter, Jesus wants to show the church at Smyrna how they can persevere through suffering and persecution and be faithful unto death. Why should you stay faithful and true through suffering, affliction, and pain? There are four motivations for remaining faithful unto death in this text. 

• His Victory - Jesus is the Victor over Death (8)

What is a faithful Christian or church's greatest danger? It is living for Christ with doctrine and duty, but abandoning devotion. It is a treacherous place for any believer to know what to believe, what to do, and how to live, but without a heart that beats for and longs for Christ.

This week, we look at the first letter to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 - The Church at Ephesus. This is a church that has much going for them, but along the way, they had left behind their first love for Jesus. He speaks to them to call them to remember, repent, and return to how they originally loved Christ.

This week, is the first of a couple of month series through the seven churches in Revelation. These are sermons first preached at Freedom Baptist Church and I hope they will be a benefit to a broader audience as well.

In Revelation 2-3, Jesus speaks to seven churches. He commends them for genuine faith, challenges them because of sin, and calls them to overcome by faith in Him. But before any of that, Jesus shows John a glorious vision of himself in Revelation 1.

Genesis 44 and 45 are the climactic point of the Joseph narrative in Genesis 37-50. Everything has been building to this point. From the betrayal to Potipher's to prison to the palace to now the brothers being in Egypt for food again .

Eventually, there is going to be a beautiful reconciliation in Genesis 45, but before that happens, Joseph has one final test for his brothers. It will be Genesis 37 all over again, but the end result will be different this time. One brother, a former scoundrel and sinner, will stand up and take the place of another. We walk through the first part of this beautiful story of reconciliation in this week's episode.