Understanding: This is the third in a five part series we are taking from the opening chapters of the book of Revelation. Believed to have been written by John the apostle - he had been exiled to Patmos for preaching about Jesus and was in the last years of his life. He is visited by an angel and told to write down everything he sees then distribute the writings to seven churches. It has always been recognised that the prophecies in this book extend until Jesus’ return. For some, the letters to the 7 churches chart seven phases of church history before Christ returns. For others, these are timely words addressed to real issues in the 7 churches mentioned. It is also true that the commendations, faults and exhortations listed can apply to churches down through the ages. Including us!
What is the Spirit saying to the churches? The New Testament nearly always addresses the collective community of believers and rarely the individuals directly. But we find it natural to read it and to look for personal application ... but here is a crucial dimension ... personal application and personal response to communal application are often very different things.
Application: How is our culture shaping us? Where are our struggles and what do we need to do together to act as a ‘city on a hill’ and be ‘salt and light’ in our community?
Q. What of the qualities of love present in ‘first love’ we need to grow in? This revisits a question asked last week from a personal perspective ... but how do we answer the same question differently when it is addressed to us as a church? Putting the interests of others above our own desires gives different answers!
The primary problem in the church of Pergamum was to tolerate false teachers in their midst. The main problem for the church in Thyatira was the mixing of following Jesus with pagan practices. Both were leading to sexual immorality and compromise. The witness of both churches was damaged as they were invaded by harmful aspects of their culture.
Q. What are the strongholds in our culture that we easily bring into the church and then just ‘add Jesus’ to them? Materialism is an obvious one, but you could add to that the view of what constitutes a healthy ‘family’, perhaps fashion styles for women and maybe some others you could come up with.
Q. Depending on your answers to the previous question ... what should we, as a church, be doing to respond to our culture with the gospel? We can often feel that we are fairly powerless as individuals when it comes to addressing issues in our culture ... but we are called to respond as a body ... and what we do together can be much more significant.
Pray for our nation and pray for our church – and have a great time!
