The Letter to the Church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22)

Outline: The Letter to the Church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22)

1. Rebuke (vv.14-17)
2. Correction (vv.18-20)
3. Promise (vv.21-22)

Summary:  We now focus our study on Jesus' final letter, His letter to the church in Laodicea.  Laodicea, of all the churches, was perhaps the most unhealthy.  They were so self-deceived and so self-reliant that they failed realize just how disgusting their spiritual condition had become.  In a word: Laodicea was lukewarm and Jesus was sickened when he "tasted" the stagnant waters of their halfhearted devotion. Jesus counsels them to come to Him as the true source of all value, security and vision.  Jesus then lovingly urges them to repent in earnest, so that they can again enjoy Him in genuine fellowship.            

Main Point:  All churches and Christians are called to conquer their lukewarmness by earnestly repenting of it and by coming to Jesus as the source of all value, security, and vision.

Discussion Questions:

• How does Laodicea's witness compare to Jesus' track record as the "faithful witness"? 
• What is it about Laodicea that Jesus finds so repulsive? (vv.15-16)
• How do lukewarmness (v.16), self-sufficiency and self-deceit (v.17) relate to one another?  
• What is Jesus counseling the Laodiceans to do in v.18?
• Reread 3:14-22.  Do Jesus words strike you as loving? Explain (cf. v.19; Heb. 12:5-11).  
• What does the picture of Jesus knocking at the door teach us about what Jesus is like? (v.20)
• What promise does Jesus motivate the church with in v.21?

Application Questions:

• Do I consider Jesus words in 3:14-22 to be loving? Why or why not?
• Is there any evidence of self-sufficiency or lukewarmness in my life? Explain.
• Am I looking to Jesus as the source of value, security, and vision in my life? Explain.
• How does Jesus want me to respond if I have been lukewarm?
• According to v.20, how willing is Jesus to fellowship with me after I have sinned?

Prayer Points:

• Confess any self-sufficiency or lukewarmness God has exposed in your life
• Praise Jesus for loving us enough to say hard things to us and to call us to repentance
• Praise Jesus for loving us enough to pursue fellowship with us after we have dishonored Him 
• Acknowledge Jesus as the true source of value, security, and vision
• Ask God to help you conquer lukewarmness and to be faithful in our devotion to Him

The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13)

Outline: The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13)

1. Affirmation (v.8)
2. Earth-bound promises (vv.9-10)
3. Exhortation (v.11)
4. Heaven-bound Promise (vv.12-13)

Summary:  We now focus our study on Jesus' letter to the church in Philadelphia.  Philadelphia, like Smyrna, was a healthy church.  Therefore, Jesus did not speak words of rebuke, correction, and warning but words of affirmation followed by promises that were designed to encouraged and inspire them to stay their faithful course.  Jesus promised to help them triumph and endure the sufferings of this life and to lavish blessing on them in the next life if they conquer, that is, if they continue in patient endurance to the end.         

Main Point:  All churches and Christians are called to conquer, that is, to patiently endure suffering and trials though faith-filled obedience to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

• Is v.7b an accurate, one-sentence summary of John's vision of Jesus in 1:12-20? Explain. 
• What is the church of Philadelphia affirmed for in v.8?
• What is the relationship between keeping Jesus' word and not denying Jesus' name?
• How is it possible that Philadelphia had "little power" yet was considered a healthy church?
• What earth-bound promises did Jesus give (vv.9-10)? What effect are they meant to have?
• Jesus exhorted Philadelphia (v.11)? Why do even healthy churches/Christians need such exhortations?
• What heaven-bound promises did Jesus give (vv.12-13)? What effect are they meant to have?
• What promise is particularly meaningful to you right now and how might you use it as motivation to patiently endure in the midst of your present circumstances?
• What form does conquering take in the first five churches? How about for Philadelphia?

Application Questions:

• What am I clinging to in order to make it through? What does this reveal about my heart?
• How am I obeying God's word in the midsts of my circumstances? 
• What is it going to take for me to patiently endure to the end?
• How is my weakness an opportunity for God to show His power? (cf. 2 Cor. 12:9-10)
• What brother or sister is currently in special need of endurance? What can I do to encourage them? 

Prayer Points:

• Praise Jesus for using His loving authority to open and keep open the door of salvation to us
• Praise Jesus for His power and acknowledge His ability help us endure in the midst of trials
• Ask God to help us not be disheartened by our weakness but to trust all the more in His power 

The Letter to the Church in Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11)

Outline: The Letter to the Church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11)

1. Comfort (vv.8-9)
2. Instruction (v.10a)
3. Encouragement (vv.10b-11)

Summary: We now focus our study on Jesus' letter to the church in Smyrna.  Smyrna, unlike Ephesus, was a healthy church, which is why rebuke, correction, and warning are absent from this letter.  But to say that Smyrna was a healthy church does not mean that life was easy for them. Rather, the believers in Smyrna were well acquainted with pain, poverty, and persecution and Jesus, the One walks among His lampstands (1:12-20), was totally aware of their circumstances.  Therefore, in this letter, Jesus' comfort, instruction, and encouragement was designed to help them conquer, that is, to remain faithful in the midst of their circumstances, no matter the cost.   

Main Point: Jesus calls all churches and all christians to conquer, to remain faithful to Him in the midst of our circumstances, no matter the cost.  

Discussion Questions:

• What circumstances was the church in Smyrna experiencing? (vv.9-10)
• Should the fact that Jesus is present with the church in Smyrna and intimately aware of all their circumstances be a terrifying or comforting reality for them? Explain.  
• How does Jesus comfort the church in Smyrna? (v.9; Hint: "I know ____")
• What instruction must Smyrna heed in the midst of their trying circumstances? (v.10a)
• What does the phrase "ten days" symbolize? How should it impact the church in Smyrna?
•  What promises does Jesus seek to encourage the church with?  (vv.10-11) What conditions are attached to those promises?

Application Questions:

• What trials am I currently experiencing?  And how am I responding to such trials?
• How should Jesus' presence with me and intimate knowledge of all that I am going through serve to comfort me? 
• How am I doing in terms of heeding Jesus' instructions to not fear future trials and to remain faithful no matter how hard things get?  
• If faithfulness to Jesus meant dying for my faith, would I be willing to do so? How can I live now that would prepare my heart to make such a sacrifice?
• How should the promise of being awarded the crown of life and being protected from the second death serve to fuel my present faithfulness to Jesus? 
• What fellow believers can I comfort and encourage with these truths?

Prayer Points:

• Acknowledge that Jesus is present with you and intimately aware of all your circumstances
• Praise Jesus for being a Savior can sympathize with you in the midst of all your trials
• Ask God to help you to conquer, to be faithful in the midst of your trials, no matter the cost
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you run to win the crown of life and dodge the second death
• Ask God to help your brothers and sisters at FBC to remain faithful through trial so that, as a church, our witness would be strong and bright for the glory of Christ

The Letter to the Church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7)

Outline: In Revelation 2:1-7

1. Jesus' Affirmation (vv.2-3, 6)
2. Jesus' Rebuke (v.4)
3. Jesus' Correction (v.5a)
4. Jesus' Warning (v.5b)
5. Jesus' Promise (v.7)

Summary: After communicating the sobering vision of who Jesus is and what the church ought to be, John now relays a personal letter from Jesus to each of the seven churches (Rev. 2-3). These letters show that the Jesus described in John's vision is the Jesus who is present with and intimately aware of each church and their circumstances. This can be either terrifying or comforting depending on the health of a given local church.  Jesus wants every local church to be a faithful, conquering church regardless of the circumstances they face; therefore, He brings clear affirmation, rebuke, correction, warnings, and promises according to what each church needs to hear and heed.  The first letter is to the church in Ephesus, a church affirmed for their steadfast commitment to the truth but firmly rebuked for their sad and serious neglect of love.  Jesus tells them in no uncertain terms what they must do in order to conquer their sin and receive the promise.      

Main Point: The church in Ephesus must remember the way they used to love one another, repent of their neglect of that love, and renew their efforts to love as they have in the past.

Discussion Questions:

• What does it mean that Jesus "walks among the seven golden lampstands" and what impression should this truth make on all churches, including FBC? (v.1cf. 1:13; 2:23)
• What does Jesus affirm about the church in Ephesus? (vv.2-3,6)
• What about the church in Ephesus provokes Jesus to firmly rebuke them? (v.4)
• What three steps does Jesus command Ephesus to take when He corrects them (v.5)?
• What is the meaning of the term repent?
• What warning does Jesus give them if they do not mend their ways (v.5b)?
• What promise does Jesus extend to them if they do mend their ways (v.7)?  
• Why is it so important that we have strong minds committed to truth and big hearts engaged in acts of love?

Application Questions:

• How firmly am I committed to learning and applying the truth of God's word in my life?
• How engaged am I in showing acts of kindness, compassion and self-sacrifice toward my brothers and sisters in Christ?
• Do I need to repent and mend my ways in one or both of these areas?
• What would it look like for me to be a head/heart person (one marked by truth and love)?
• Does my individual commitment to truth and love effect the brightness of our lampstand at FBC? Explain. 

Prayer Points:

• Praise God for any ways we are excelling in our commitment to truth at FBC
• Praise God for any ways we are excelling in our love for one another at FBC
• Repent of any ways you have been personally neglecting truth and/or love
• Pray that God would help FBC to shine as a head and heart people
• Ask God to help you grow in your commitment to truth and your engagement in love so that you might do your part to help FBC shine brighter

John's Greeting to the Seven Churches (Rev. 1:4-8)

Outline: In Revelation 1:4-8

1. John's greeting to the churches
2. John's desire for the churches  

Summary: The Book of Revelation is a gift from God (v.1) addressed to the "seven churches" (v.4; cf. v.11).  Here John is using the number seven as a symbolic tool referring to the full number of churches (from all times and places), of which the "seven churches...in Asia" are representative.  In light of all that he has been shown, John uses his greeting to express his desire that the triune God (Father, Spirit, Son) would use this revelation to strengthen and reassure the churches as they eagerly anticipate the coming of Christ.

Main Point: John wants the churches to be experience much-needed grace and peace from the triune God through the message of Book of Revelation.

Discussion Questions:

• Who is the Book of Revelation written to?
• How are numbers often used in apocalyptic literature? 
• How is John using the number seven in v.4?
• What effect does John hope that the message of Revelation in general and the descriptions of the Father, Spirit, and Son in (v.4) in particular will have on the churches?
• How does the gospel both save us and send us (vv.5b-6)? 
• Why will many people wail at the sight of Jesus' coming?  What effect should this have on us in terms of witnessing to the unbelievers that God has placed in our lives?

Application Questions:

• What circumstances are troubling me at present?
• How might the descriptions of the Father, Spirit, and Son in v.4 be used to strengthen and comfort me?
• What people in my life would wail at Christ's coming? How should this influence my interactions with them?

Prayer Points:

• Praise Father, Spirit, and Son for who they are according to vv.4-8
• Ask God to strengthen and comfort you in light of who He is
• Praise Jesus for saving you and and for sending you.
• Plead with God to help you urgently share the gospel with unbelievers so that they will worship and not wail when Jesus comes back.  

Introduction to the Book of Revelation (Rev. 1:1-3)

Outline: In Revelation 1:1-3

1. Introduction: the Book of Revelation as apocalyptic literature
2. The Book of Revelation is a gift
3. The Book of Revelation is a gift to the churches
4. The Book of Revelation is for our joy
5. The Book of Revelation is meant to produce urgency

Summary: This sermon serves as an introduction to the Book of Revelation in general and the first three chapters in particular.  To help us get our bearings, we began by focusing on the meaning of the term revelation and how "the things that must soon take place" come to us in the form of apocalyptic literature, that is, laden with words of prophecy, symbols, numbers, and Old Testament quotations. Revelation is a gift from God to the Church and it is designed for our joy in this life and our eternal joy in the life to come.  And Revelation is framed by one all-consuming truth--Jesus is coming soon!  Therefore, we are called to hear and heed the message of Revelation with great urgency.

Main Point: Revelation is God's gift to the Church to produce conquerors who will live with joyful urgency in light of the Jesus' return.

Discussion Questions:

• According to v.1, what is being revealed or made known in the book of revelation?
• In vv.1-2, note the sequence of how the Revelation is passed on: Revelation is a gift from God passed on to _____, _____, _____, and finally to the _____.
• "The things that must soon take place" are revealed to us in the form apocalyptic literature.  What are some of the features of apocalyptic literature?  Why might it be helpful to keep these features in mind as we study the Book of Revelation?
• How do these characteristics of apocalyptic literature serve to "turn the volume up."
• Who is the one who is truly blessed in v.3? (cf. James 1:22-24)
• Discuss this point: we can understand the message of the Book of Revelation without understanding every detail within it.
• What do you think is the basic message of the Book of Revelation?

Application Questions:

• What does God want to do in my life through the Book of Revelation?
• What is one thing that stood out in this sermon that I want to keep in mind throughout this study of the Book of Revelation?  

Prayer Points:

• Praise God for the hope of Jesus' return and the fact that the darkness is almost over
• Ask God to help you understand message of the Book of Revelation
• Ask God to help you be a doer and not just a hearer of the message of the Book of Revelation