Bent Oak Church

Chapters four and five are John's second vision. Before he had watched as Christ walked amongst the churched—on the ground. Now John's attention is turned upward to an open door. Stepping through it, he finds himself at the throne of God. What is happening there is far more important than how it appears. John finds himself caught up in worship. It gives us one of the most important images of worship in scripture. Worship is not something we initiate but something we are invited to participate in. That makes a big difference.

The church at Laodicea was rich and self-sufficient. They had convinced themselves they were content. But their contentment was a flimsy, self-constructed, Godless pride.Jesus has strong words for this church, but he reproves those he loves and he holds open the possibility that this church may hear his knock and allow him in.

The church at Philadelphia was up against a lot. Jewish persecution, Roman disdain, a town that was being abandoned and under constant risk. But in the midst of it was this congregation of believers. Jesus tells them that he has set a door of opportunity before them; all they must do is believe with patient endurance. That request is hard when we want to take charge and create our own opportunities.

The city of Sardis was not what it used to be. It was a place out of the limelight of Rome. Being a Christian in Sardis was easier than other places.That had earned the Sardis church a reputation for being alive—blessed. But Jesus saw through it. Their spiritual apathy had left them dead.

Brad Lombardi shares about MWBx and Jesus' parable of persistence in prayer. Be encouraged never to give up trusting and believing that God is at work doing good.

The church at Thyatira was alive to God. Jesus commended them for their increasing spiritual zeal. But he had one thing against them. They had allowed a false teacher to lead them into idolatry. The teacher's pitch was access to deeper things, spiritual secrets, and hidden knowledge. Jesus offered an alternative, "only hold on to what you already have."

The church at Pergamum continued to follow Christ, but increasingly it was a private faith. They were falling under false teaching that justified private faithfulness and public accommodations. But true faithfulness makes no distinctions between public and private.

The church at Smyrna is the only one that still exists today. In modern day Izmir, Turkey, a small congregation still worships. They face pressure and persecution just like their founders.Jesus has nothing negative to say about this church, but he does warn them that they are about to face suffering. In reality, we all are—sometime in some way. So what do we do when we suffer? How do we live out Jesus' command, "Don't be afraid."

The church at Ephesus is the first to receive a word from Christ. It forms a pattern for the other six messages. To the church at Ephesus Jesus affirmed their commitment to truth and faithfulness, but one thing he had against them. They had lost the love they had at first. It is a constant tension. How do we hold fast to doctrinal convictions and embrace a sacrificial love for each other and our neighbors?

The book of Revelation was written by the apostle John. It was more than strange predictions about future things.In the first chapter, John promises that whoever hears this book and lives it will be blessed. This book makes a difference in the world we live in now, just as much as in the things to come.