A Heritage Baptist Church Home Group Study

The LettersWorkbook

Table of Contents

Lesson 1 – Ephesus, with Jared Murphy Page 1

Lesson 2 – Smyrna, with Kevin McBryde Page 4

Lesson 3 – Pergamos, with Dr. Carl Fitzgerald Page 6

Lesson 4 – Thyatira, with Brian Simmons Page 9

Lesson 5 – Sardis, with John Rodgers Page 12

Lesson 6 – Philadelphia, with Brad Bonnette Page 16

Lesson 7 – Laodicea, with Dr. Charles A. Murphy Page 21

Prayer Request List Page 24

Special Thanks to:Videographer – Larry LorinoLogo Design – Jesse McPeekSet Consultant – Geof Nesossi

Filmed at Nesossi Studios

Heritage Baptist Church2223 FM 1092, Missouri City, TX 77449

281-403-4994 www.hbctx.org

Lesson 1: The Church at EphesusRevelation 2:1-7 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he thatholdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven goldencandlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bearthem which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hastfound them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, andhast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else Iwill come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that hathan ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give toeat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

About EphesusAt the time of Paul, Ephesus was one of the most important cities in Asia Minor which is

modern day Turkey. Ephesus had become very wealthy because of its location as a strategiccommercial center and seaport and it was the home to major public buildings, including theaters,libraries and gymnasiums. Ephesus was the center of the worship of Artemis (or Diana) asevidenced in Acts 19:28 and was home to her temple. Because of its status as a major seaport,Ephesus was culturally diverse. This diversity caused an interesting mix of religious views.Paul realized how important it was for people to be reached with the gospel, and he investednearly three years in establishing the church in Ephesus and the surrounding cities. Ephesus wasalso the location that young Timothy would serve as a pastor to that local congregation towardthe end of Paul’s ministry.

The Cayster River deposited so much silt by the inlet at Ephesus that by the mediaevalperiod Ephesus was no longer useful as a port and was abandoned. Consequently, beingabandoned meant that it was open for excavation and has proved to be an incredible site formodern archaeology. According to the NIV Archaeological Study Bible, Ephesus exists today asone of the most magnificent ruins of the ancient world.

The Message for the Church at EphesusJesus refers to Himself as “the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One

who walks among the golden lampstands.” Jesus is very quick to address His role and authorityin the church. He is the very source of power in any New Testament church.

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Jesus used the lampstand as the object to represent the church. If you think of an actuallampstand, it has one purpose. In our day it serves more as a decorative piece, but in the timethat John was writing this would be the tool to shed light on an area that would otherwise be indarkness. This is exactly the role of the church! Shine light into the darkness. The power ofChrist is the driving force of everything that a New Testament church is called to do.

The Lord mentions in Verse 4 that the church in Ephesus has left their first love. I thinkit is possible to get so busy in doing what you feel is work for the Lord that you lose track ofwhat the Lord really wants you to do. Remember what we mentioned earlier about thelampstand? There is a task that lampstand is supposed to do. It must spread light. The momentthat lampstand is no longer spreading light, it has become decoration. We read a record of allsorts of busy work being done, but the light not being spread. In other words, this church hadstarted very well, but somehow began to schedule busy things into the time slots originallydesigned for spreading the light.

Then we see a plea and a warning. The plea is to repent and turn back to the first works.Return to spreading the light into darkness, or be removed.

The Message for UsIt’s pretty obvious that this message to the church in Ephesus is applicable to us today.

This may be tough for some to hear, but a church that is no longer reaching the lost is no longer achurch. In this letter, Christ said that He is in the midst of what is done in the church. If thechurch is no longer impacting those around them, the problem is not that Christ has lost Hispower. It’s highly more likely that the church has lost focus to the point that the only function itis serving in its city is decorative.

Finally, we have a promise. Jesus said in Verse 7 that the Spirit is speaking to thechurches. Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Not only as the entire churchbody, but as individual members. In fact, it appears that this promise is given to individuals, andthat makes sense. After all, it is the individuals that make a church.

How does this speak to you today? God hasn’t changed nor has His desire for us to reachothers. We are still the mouthpiece that God chooses to use to share his good news to the world.Every single point that we talked about for the church at Ephesus applies to us today. This quotefrom Charles Spurgeon sums this up nicely:“Not for yourself, O church, do you exist, any more than Christ existed for himself.”

-Charles Spurgeon

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Discussion Questions1) What current major cities of the world come to mind when you think of Ephesus? How

does location impact the spread of the gospel?

2) Have someone with a smart phone go to Google and perform a search for “ruins ofEphesus.” Just looking at the ruins, it’s quite easy to form a mental image of how the citymust have appeared. Now discuss with your group how you would feel stepping off theboat as a brand new missionary to Ephesus. What challenges would you face?

3) What is the significance of the description of Himself that the Lord gives in Revelation2:1? What does a lampstand have to do with anything?

4) Having looked at the letter to the church at Ephesus, what similarities do you find withthe church you attend? If there are things that need to be corrected, what is stopping youfrom correcting them?

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Lesson 2: The Church at SmyrnaRevelation 2:8-11 “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the firstand the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (butthou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but arethe synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shallcast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thoufaithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what theSpirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”

About SmyrnaThe town of Smyrna is an old city in Asia – very, very old. There is no record of when

the city was originally founded; only multiple records of when she was rebuilt. Smyrna was avery Roman city, and recorded to be one of the most beautiful. There was a temple in Smyrnadedicated to the goddess Roma as early as 395 B.C. and the people were required to pay homageto Caesar and proclaim him as god once a year. Domitian was the Caesar at the time of John’sletter and he was known historically as a murderous dictator who mercilessly persecuted theChristians and their churches. Thousands of believers were killed in horrific ways under theonslaught of Domitian’s rule. Polycarp, a student of John the Revelator, was martyred inSmyrna. It is recorded that at 86 years of age, he was brought before the Roman magistrate todeny Christ and be pardoned. His famous reply was “Eighty and six years have I served Him,and He never once did me any injury, how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior.” It isrecorded that Polycarp refused the ropes to bind him to the stake for burning and stood as thewood was brought and lit. He stood and burned with no restraints and his countenance glowedwith God’s glory as he died.

The word Smyrna is Greek for myrrh, which is sweet-smelling oil that is produced whenthe tree is crushed to release its oil. The persecuted Church of Smyrna and their faithfulness gavea sweet aroma to the nostrils of God Almighty. This should be the desire of every Christian man,woman and child – to glorify their King, no matter the consequences.

The Message for the Church at SmyrnaJesus the Christ presents Himself as the First and the Last here in this letter to suffering

Smyrna. Having been persecuted and crucified, He understands what they are enduring for Himand His Father. He reminds them that He knows their works of gratitude, their hardships andtheir poverty – physically and financially. He also reminds them that they are rich beyond theirwildest dreams in Him and His glorious riches. His message to this church is to hold on to whatthey have and endure in Him. The worst this world can do is to take a life, and then there is rest.

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The child of God has never to fear the eternal, second death that awaits all those who reject andrefuse the only begotten Son of God. This is a promise of rest and peace to reward theChristian’s endurance of these persecutions for only a little while. This is the promised Crown ofLife.

The Message for UsOur lesson to be learned here is a plain and simple one indeed. We must realize we are in

a battle. We are foot soldiers of Christ and not observers. We are bought with a price, andcommanded to follow our Commander in Chief in all things.II Timothy 2:3-4 “You therefore endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No oneengaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him whoenlisted him as a soldier.”

We are to know our enemy, and be watchful of his attacks. We are to sacrifice ourselves,wealth, family and life, as required by God to protect His name and our brothers and sisters inChrist. What cares of the world is God asking you to lay aside so that you may serve Him?

Discussion Questions1) Why did God allow the Church at Smyrna to suffer?

2) Does our suffering for His name still bring Him honor and glory?

3) How and when in your life have you suffered for Christ’s sake?

4) What have you seen in the news recently about Christians suffering?

5) Are you prepared to suffer, along with your family, for the sake of Christ?

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Lesson 3: The Church at PergamosRevelation 2:12-17 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith hewhich hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, evenwhere Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in thosedays wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine ofBalaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat thingssacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine ofthe Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fightagainst them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saithunto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will givehim a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he thatreceiveth it.”

About Pergamos Pergamos was supposed to have been founded and built by a son of Hercules on a

hill in the fertile plain of the Caicus Valley 15 miles inland from the Aegean Sea. One of the products for which this city was famous was paper or parchment; the

paper itself being called pergamena.

The letter of our Lord to this church begins with a grim tone. Compromise was the big problem with the church at Pergamos.

Jesus is identified as the one who has a sharp two-edged sword (Word of God).The message is clear. What does a compromising church need to know? Jesus willdeal with the church and all churches through the Word of God.

Pergamos was one of the most prominent cities in Asia. It was a wealthy citywith many temples devoted to idol worship.

The Message for the Church at PergamosA) Commendation

In the best manuscripts the expression “thy works” is omitted, which gives addedemphasis to the fact that “Satan’s seat” is the place of their dwelling. It is areference to the presence of satanic power in the evil religious character of thecity of Pergamos.

As a symbol of the faithfulness of these saints in Pergamos, one of the faithfulmen named “Antipas” was declared to be “my faithful martyr and was slain

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among you where Satan dwelled.” His name means “against all” which mayindicate that he stood alone.

B) Condemnation

The condemnation opens with Jesus’ words: “I have a few things against you” asrecorded in Verses 14-15.

The doctrine of Balaam is first mentioned. A complete record of Balaam’s sin isfound in Numbers 22-25 and in Numbers 31:15-16. Briefly, Balaam was aprophet who took money from a king named Balak to pronounce a curse uponIsrael. When God stopped Balaam, Balaam told Balak to have the women of hiscountry intermarry with the Jewish people. They, in turn, could entice them toworship idols. The doctrine of Balaam is identified as the practice of godly peopleintermarrying with ungodly people and then embracing idolatrous worship as asubstitute for genuine worship.

This is in contrast to “the way of Balaam,” that is the selling of his prophetic giftfor money (II Peter 2:15), and “the error of Balaam,” his assumption that Godwould curse Israel (Jude 11).

The teaching of the Nicolaitans was more complicated. They believed a person’sspirit is inherently good and a person’s flesh is inherently evil.

Those things that displease God ought to displease every Christian. Christ issues a sharp warning to repent to the church at Pergamos. The evil

character of those things which were invading the church was so serious to Christthat it involved their being judged by His Word.

C) Promise

“He that hath an ear, let him hear.” First of all, the believer is assured that he willhave the benefit of eating the hidden manna.

In addition to the hidden manna, those who overcome by faith are promised awhite stone. In a court of law, a white stone was given to someone who was toreceive a pardon.

The person who was pardoned also received a new name written on the whitestone. It is described as one “which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”

The Message for UsThe letter to Pergamos is not only an ancient record of the church there, but also a

description of a monstrous system of error that guides the thoughts of men and women even untothis day. Those evil princes of that day arrogated to themselves the power to cast into hell, toforgive sin, to offer sacramental salvation and excommunicate their followers, which was aspiritual death sentence (according to their teaching). This is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,“which things, God says; ‘I hate.’” This heresy remains strong even in our day.

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This teaching turned the church at Pergamos into a political prize, making the church andstate one and the same. Remember we are not saved by some great world-appointed leader butby the blood of Jesus Christ. Men must remain vigilant. They must take a stand for truth andproclaim that truth to those who have never heard.

Discussion Questions1) The two-edged sword of God is an instrument of:

A. Separation B. TruthC. Judgment D. All of the above

2) Why was Pergamos referred to as a compromising church?

3) In Verse 13 what does the expression “my faith” mean?

4) What is the value of receiving a “white stone?”

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Lesson 4: The Church at ThyatiraRevelation 2:18-29 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Sonof God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works, love,service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who callsherself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eatthings sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did notrepent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into greattribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all thechurches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each oneof you according to your works. Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do nothave this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you noother burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps Myworks until the end, to him I will give power over the nations – ‘He shall rule them with a rod ofiron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ as I also have received from MyFather; and I will give him the morning star. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spiritsays to the churches.”’

About Thyatira Founded by Seleucus I about 300 years before Jesus was born into the world. At time of John’s writing, it was a smaller city in the Lycus River Valley. Know for its dyes. 27 miles from Sardis and was on the road between Pergamos and Sardis. Now known as Akhisar, in Turkey.

There are currently no churches there. An American missionary (Reverend Schneider) wrote of Akhisar in 1848, “The Christian

traveler and missionary naturally looks for something interesting in a place where onceexisted a true church of Christ. But alas! How sadly is he disappointed! The placepresents an appearance nothing different from other Turkish towns…Christianity existsthere in name, but it is the bare name. Its spirit has long since fled.”

The Message for the Church at ThyatiraA) Description of Christ (Verse 18)

1) Eyes like a flame of fire2) Feet are like burnished brass3) Jesus is the omniscient Judge.

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B) Commendation (Verse 19)Works – all you do in My name.Love – Love for the Lord, love for each other, love for the lostFaith – Not just for salvation but for everyday life.Service – This church was obviously busy doing God’s work.Patience – (perseverance) They didn’t wilt under pressure from the world. They lived inan area inundated with pagan beliefs. But the church was holding strong.Growth – their current works were greater than their first. So they have been growingspiritually. They were not stagnant.

C) Rebuke (Verses 20-23)1) The church allowed Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess, to lead people astray.2) Focus on the pastor and church3) Jezebel’s punishment4) Result of punishment

D) Promises (Verses 24-29)1) When it comes to those who did not partake in Jezebel’s sin, Christ won’t put any

more burdens on this church.2) The command to remain faithful and hold on to what they have. “Don’t regress – hold

on to those things I listed at the beginning of the letter.”3) Those that overcome and keep the Lord’s works will be given power over the nations.

They will share in the Savior’s final victory and will reign with Him. Not on theirown – no independent power, but they are joint-heirs with Christ.

Romans 8:16-17 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit thatwe are children of God, and if children then heirs – heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorifiedtogether.”

4) Psalm 2:9 is quoted here and it speaks of the Messiah’s triumph and His rule.5) Destruction of God’s enemies6) Given the Morning Star

The Message for UsA) Stand Up to False Teachers

Toleration brings trouble. Many times in churches, we hear about someoneteaching something we know isn’t right yet we just let it go on.

False teaching destroys churchesB) Jesus is Our All-Seeing Judge

We cannot hideC) Following is No Excuse

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D) Jesus is Merciful Jezebel had chance to repent

Those involved in sin had time to repent Burden not added to those not involved

Discussion Questions1) The church at Thyatira was excelling in many areas, but one issue was contaminating

its witness to the community. We also learn in this letter that Jesus sees everything wedo. What does this teach us about the vigilance of churches when it comes to settlingfor being “good enough?”

2) What lessons about God’s longsuffering do we learn through this letter?

3) Why is church discipline something we don’t want to talk about? What is the purposeof church discipline? What Scriptures tell us how to handle church discipline? Whatare we supposed to do if the offense is coming from a source outside the church?

4) What encouragement do you find in the promises made at the end of this letter?

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Lesson 5: The Church at SardisRevelation 3:1-6 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits ofGod and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive,but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for Ihave not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you havereceived and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like athief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But you have a few people in Sardiswho have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. Hewho overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from thebook of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has anear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” (NASB)

About SardisA. Capital of Lydian EmpireB. Located in Asia Minor

1. Modern Turkey2. 60 miles northeast of Ephesus

C. Wealthy City1. Gold and silver in Pactolus River2. Metallurgy practiced3. Location of the first reliable coinage

D. Earthquake 17 B.C.1. Rebuilt by Emperor Tiberius2. Tiberius was worshipped there

E. Location of a large temple of ArtemisF. A main manufacturer of woolen products

The Message for the Church at SardisA. Jesus introduces Himself

1. Seven Spirits of God2. Seven stars

B. Church is Dead1. Has reputation of life2. Jesus knows the church’s deeds

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C. Deeds uncompleted in the sight of the Lord1. Wake up!2. Strengthen what is about to die

D. Remember1. The things the church has received and heard2. Keep it3. Repent

E. Warning if they do not wake up1. Jesus will come like a thief in the night2. They will not know the hour.

F. Some members of the church are worthy1. Have not soiled their garments2. They will walk with Christ in white

G. Overcomers will be saved1. Names not crossed from Book of Life2. Jesus will confess their names to the Father and His angels

H. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says

The Message for UsA. The main work of the Church

1. The great commission (spread the good news of salvation through JesusChrist’s work on the cross)a. Given to the first churchb. Authority from Jesus to the church

B. Some of the members in church may not be saved1. Church membership does not save us from hell2. Share the good news to everyone – even fellow church members

C. The saved church members not asked to leave dead church of Sardis1. Stay and wake up2. Do the things that need to be done for the Lord in the church to which you

belong.

Discussion QuestionsThoughts to consider for the lesson’s questionsFor question one:

Sardis as an ancient city already had a long history even 2,000 years ago in 95 A.D. whenthe book of Revelation was written. It had been a very wealthy city because of precious metalsthat were found at the western edge of town in the river Pactolus. Gold and silver has been used

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for trade for all of recorded history, making them the very essence of wealth. What was of addedvalue to Sardis was that they learned the art of metallurgy to purify their gold and silver. The artof coinage might have been perfected right in this area of Sardis. When a California couplerecently found some gold coins from the 19th century California gold rush on their property wewere all reminded that gold is still king when it comes to wealth. What does Jesus say aboutwealth? Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and lovethe other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”Wealth can subdue us and hide from us the true blessings of God. Sardis at the time of this letterwas under Roman rule and it had been rebuilt after an earthquake. The Emperor Tiberius paidfor much of the rebuild of the city after it was mostly destroyed. Wealth was not mentionedwhen describing Sardis during the Roman period so even the great wealth of this city must havebeen fleeting.

For question two:There was a great temple in Sardis that honored the goddess Artemis. This goddess was

called Diana in the Roman period. Artemis was the goddess of nature and of fertility. She wassaid to be a virgin mother goddess whose purity was so dramatically protected that the prieststhat served in the temple were all eunuchs. This was in spite of the fact that Artemis was not areal woman but only a statue of cold stone. As I was studying this topic I was reminded of apagan goddess that gave the Hebrews in the Old Testament times a very consistent problem.There are many references to Asherah poles in Israel that were erected in the land by evil kingsand then removed by godly ones. Asherah was said to have been a goddess and the mother ofBaal. Elijah called out 450 priests of Baal and 400 priests of Asherah and put them to shame onMount Carmel in an account in 1 Kings 18. Elijah proved that the pagan god Baal and hismother were complete frauds while Elijah’s God was the one true God. However, this did notcompletely put to rest the worship of the Baal or the Asherah poles dedicated to them in thePromised Land. In Deut. 7:5 God makes it very clear what they should do to the places ofworship of these false gods and the idols dedicated to them. They were to crush them andcompletely wipe them out. Why was there so much trouble with mother goddesses of fertility inrecorded history? Asherah in Canaan, Artemis in Greece and Diana in Rome were all mothergoddesses of nature and of fertility.

For question three:This letter begins with a description of the person telling John what to write. This is very

clearly our Savior Jesus Christ. In this letter he refers to Himself as He who has the seven Spiritsof God and the seven stars. What could Jesus be saying to us about Himself here? The numberseven represents completion in the scriptures. This description literally means that He has thecomplete Spirit of God and all the stars. Can we take this description of Jesus about Himselfliterally however? Paul says in Acts 17:24, the God who made the world and all things in it,since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. The seven

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stars could refer to the angels of the churches. These could mean the pastors of each church towhom these letters were addressed.

For question four:Reading the portion of the letter to Sardis in Revelation 3:5, we see that those church

members who overcome will be rewarded by Jesus with three things. First, they will be clothedin white garments; secondly, their names will not be erased from the book of life and thirdly,Jesus will confess their name before God and before His angels. The first reward is a spotlessrobe to wear. In Mark 16:5 we can see that the angel in the empty tomb of Jesus is dressed in awhite robe. The overcomers of Sardis will be dressed as the angels. Secondly, they will nothave their names crossed out of the Book of Life. The book mentioned will be read at the finalwhite throne judgment and names those who will be in heaven with the Lord. Finally the Lordtells them that He will be there with them and confess them to God almighty and His Angels. Ican see this image very clearly as the saved and faithful followers of Christ are being announcedby name to God and His angels as they enter into the gates of heaven. Some of the members ofthe dead church at Sardis are going to be in heaven with those of us who are saved and will haveour names not crossed out of the Book of Life.

1. How does your life show your friends and family that you have more of a desire todiscover the nature of God than finding more wealth?

2. Why do some modern day weathermen thank Mother Nature and not God for beautifuldays?

3. Please share with the group what you feel is the meaning of Jesus’ description ofHimself. What are the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars?

4. How important is it to Jesus which church we belong to?

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Lesson 6: The Church at PhiladelphiaRevelation 3:7-13 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. ‘This is themessage from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, noone can close; and what he closes, no one can open: “I know all the things you do, and I haveopened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my wordand did not deny me. Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars whosay they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge thatyou are the ones I love. Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect youfrom the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong tothis world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away yourcrown. All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will neverhave to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the cityof my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also writeon them my new name. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what heis saying to the churches.’”(New Living Translation)

About Philadelphia Philadelphia was a city of ancient Lydia in Asia Minor (modern day Southern Turkey) on

the Cogamus River, 105 miles from Smyrna. It stood upon a terrace 650 feet above sealevel. Behind it are the volcanic cliffs to which the Turks have given the name of Devitt,or "inkwells.”

Philadelphia was in an area that is prone to earthquakes. The majority of the populationthat was living there in the first centuries B.C. and A.D. were driven out by earthquakes,later invasions and war. However, this city has had continuous habitation from its verybeginning, by surviving remnants who endured the devastation of earthquakes, anddesolation from invading armies.

In A.D. 17 a great earthquake struck this city and totally destroyed it. The sameearthquake totally destroyed Sardis and many other Lydian cities throughout that area.Tiberius, the emperor at that time, allocated a vast sum of money for the rebuilding ofthese cities, and they were then restored. The devastation was so great in Philadelphiathat Tiberius excused Philadelphian citizens from having to pay taxes until they couldreestablish this once thriving city of commerce.

Though many believe so, the city did not get its name from the Bible. Actually, the namecame about in the 2nd century B.C. because of the love that Attalus II, the king ofPergamum, had for his brother Eumenes who preceded him as king. Attalus had a greatlove and loyalty for his brother, it was named in honor of Attalus love for his brother,"the city of brotherly love."

A modern city still exists on the site of Philadelphia, Ala-shehir, and is still a principallyChristian town; one-fourth of its modern population is Greek, and a Greek bishop stillmakes his home there. On the terrace upon which the ancient city stood, the ruins of thecastle and the walls may still be seen, and among them are reported to be the ruins of thefoundation of the early church at Philadelphia.

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This city was primarily a Greek community in the midst of Lydia, out in the countrysideof Asia Minor, an area which the Greeks considered to be heathen and pagan – the Greekword for it was barbarian. In fact, anyone who was not a Greek was considered abarbarian in those days. The Lydian language was spoken there at first, but by the time ofthe apostles, the Greek language had taken over, and it was a typical Greek colony. Thiswas the outpost of Greek culture in a truly Asiatic and barbarian region. It was called a"little Athens" because of the fact that it was in this area and yet it was truly Greek.

The letter to the church at Philadelphia has a message to those “of little strength,” butgreat faith. It would appear that the people of the church at Philadelphia were survivorsand homesteaders who showed great strength, faith and endurance in their persistence tostay in Philadelphia in spite of continuing waves of devastation at the hands of nature andman. These people stayed and became an outpost in the wilderness, under continuingthreat of disaster, invasion and oppression by barbarians from the surrounding lands andJews from the South.

The Message for the Church at PhiladelphiaIn the letter to the church at Philadelphia, Christ introduces himself as the promised Messiahfrom the Old Testament, one in the highest position of the royal court, recounting Isaiah 22:22.This is the Prince, the Son of the Right Hand, the heir to the throne (of God the Father).Revelation 3:7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. “This is themessage from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, noone can close; and what he closes, no one can open:”

Isaiah 22:22 “I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royalcourt. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one willbe able to open them.”

Christ then speaks to the church, indicating that He knows all what they have done(sharing the omniscient mind of God, the Father), and has opened a door for this church that noone can close. He recognizes the physical frailty of the church, but their strength of faith hasenabled them to endure, persevere and not fall away from the name and gospel of Christ.

Following His recognition of their enduring faith, He continues on with a series ofpromises to this weak but steadfastly faithful church.

Promises to the church at Philadelphia because of their faithfulness:- Those of “Satan’s synagogue” will bow down at their feet and acknowledge that they,

the members of the church at Philadelphia, are the ones that Jesus loves (as opposedto self-righteous persecutors who were not the children of God, although callingthemselves Jews).

- Protection from “the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world…” (Apicture of the faithful being spared from God’s wrath being poured out in thetribulation that is described later in Revelation).

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- They will become pillars in the Temple of God, and never have to leave it. (Solidfixtures, never to be removed, which hold up the structure of the place of worship).

- God will write His name on them, and write a new name on them. God’s writing Hisname is a picture of the sealing and protective power of God’s seal upon theredeemed, portrayed later in Revelation in the sealing of the 144,000. God givingthem a new name puts them in the class of the saints whose name God changed as amark of them being set apart for his purpose, such as Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Simonand Paul.

- They will be citizens in the city of God, New Jerusalem in the eternal age, followingthe period of the millennial kingdom.

Jesus’ instructions to the church at Philadelphia:- Hold on to what you have… and no one can take away your crown.

One item of note is that Christ does not have any rebuke or warnings to the church atPhiladelphia, only blessings for their persevering faith.

Similarities to the letter to the church at Smyrna:- Endured suffering and poverty (implied) in “you have little strength,” as if they have

been drained of strength by trials of life, but persevered, faithfully depending on Godfor strength.

- Enduring opposition of “those who say they are Jews but are not,” of the “synagogueof Satan.”

- Promised a crown, “the crown of life,” ref. James 1:12:

James 1:12 “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward theywill receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

Contrast to the letter to the church at Ephesus:- The church at Philadelphia is recognized for the endurance of their faith and

continuing trust in Christ through trials, in contrast to the message to the church atEphesus where Christ indicates they have “left their first love.”

The Message for UsPrinciples and Promises that can be applied to us as individual believers, and as a church body:

- God promises to protect His faithful from the great tribulation.- God promises a “crown of life” to those who endure persecution, suffering or poverty in

faith.

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- If we hold on to our faith in Christ, and His deliverance, no one can take away thatcrown.

- Justice and righteousness will be dealt out in God’s kingdom (the millennial kingdom),and the unrighteous and false accusers will be forced to bow down and recognize thefaithful’s righteousness in the presence of God.

- Even in poverty or in the loss of physical and/or emotional strength, “holding on” toGod’s promises and His saving and securing faith establishes believers who depend onGod’s strength as “pillars in the Temple of God.” In living application, those whodepend on God’s strength rather than worldly strength are the pillars of the church hereon earth.

One caution is to avoid a selfish application of this letter. I have heard of churchesreferencing this letter as a self-proclamation of martyrdom in “holding onto the faith,” whileabandoning the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and Christ’s command to be makedisciples of all the nations while their church dwindles in number. This defeatist attitude isin contrast to the letter to the church at Philadelphia and would be more in common with thechurch at Ephesus, which Christ rebukes for leaving “their first love.” I interpret the “firstlove” as “first and greatest commandment” as stated by Christ, “love the Lord your God withall your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” (Matthew 22:38). It is notable that thechurch at Philadelphia is commended for holding onto their faith, but Christ does not haveany comment of rebuke or correction as he did the church at Ephesus, which to me serves asa testimony that in “holding on” to their faith, the church at Philadelphia did not just fall backinto a protective, defensive position of maintaining their knowledge and study of God’sword, but that they continued steadfastly in the continuation of the faith in love, the practiceof the “first works” and “first love” of the sharing the love of God in the Gospel of Christ totheir community and world around them, and it is for this that Christ has rewarded them thecrown of life.

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Discussion Questions1) Why do you think Jesus’ message that those who remained faithful and persevere will

become “pillars” in the temple of God and never have to leave it was meaningful tothe church at Philadelphia?

2) Was this letter written exclusively to and for the benefit of the church body atPhiladelphia? Explain why or why not from the text of the letter.

3) What promises in this letter fall into the different time frames described later inRevelation: the time of great tribulation, the millennial kingdom, and the eternal age?

4) How can we allow someone to “take away our crown” (of life)?

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Lesson 7: The Church at LaodiceaRevelation 3:14-22 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These thingssaith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thyworks, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou artlukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I amrich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou artwretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold triedin the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that theshame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at thedoor, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and willsup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, lethim hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

About Laodicea1) Laodicea was established in the third century B.C. It is an ancient city that was an

extremely prosperous and was a crucial city at the times when the New Testament wasrecorded. The nearby city of Colossae was overshadowed by Laodicea because of itsimportance as well as affluence.

2) The city was founded between 261 and 253 B.C. Laodicea was a great center for themanufacturing of clothing – the sheep which grazed around Laodicea were famous forthe soft, black wool they produced. Laodicea was also well-known for its school ofmedicine.

3) In other words, it was a rich city and the church there was very rich. Because of this theyhad become lukewarm, and the Lord was not pleased with them. That is why He said,“…because thou art lukewarm, and neither could or hot, I will spew thee out of mymouth.”

4) The conditions which existed in the church at Laodicea are typical of the many of theLord’s churches in the last days of grace.

5) Who are the ones who nauseate Jesus? Not the infidel. Not the atheist. Not the outrageoussinner. It is the lukewarm, indifferent, neglectful people who are members of a localchurch.

6) If a Christian is lukewarm, he or she becomes a poor example, and the church is hurt bytheir poor commitment.

7) What evidence do we see in churches today that let us know that they are like theLaodicea church?

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1) Churches are Lukewarm as to SinA) There was a time when we said that certain things were sinful.B) We live in an age when we are not shocked anymore.C) There are many good things in life, and many bad things.

2) Churches are Lukewarm About Obedience to ChristA) Jesus is not to be only our Savior, He is to be the Lord of our lives.B) We are to go to the Bible and see what it says about the local church.

We need to ask ourselves some questions. Am I lined up with my church?Am I faithful to her services? Do I put it above every other institution inthe world?

The Bible says that tithing is our duty. Do you bring your tithes andofferings to God’s house?

The Bible says we are to obey the Lord in baptism and in observing theLord’s Supper.

The Bible says that we are to be witnesses to others.C) The Bible says we are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

Are you doing that? Or are you seeking first the things of this world? Every church would have a wonderful revival if the members lived their

lives by the Word of God.D) Some Christians are lukewarm about reading their Bible.

3) Churches are Lukewarm Concerning Christian ServiceA) Every church that I know of is crying out for faithful and dedicated Christian

workers. Many begin to work for the Lord, but they either quit or they become

lukewarm about their service. Oh that God would give us a group of workers with hot hearts, on fire for

the Lord.B) We have people who have given up or want to give up their Christian service.

I am glad that Jesus didn’t give up on me. He went all the way to the cross for me.

Instead of quitting your job, you should recognize that God wants you inthat place of service.

God will bless you if you give Him your best.C) May God help us to live everyday so that the world will know that there is

something real about our relationship with Jesus.

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Discussion Questions1) Why was the Laodicean church lukewarm?

2) What can you do to keep that from happening to your church?

3) Why do you think there are so many lukewarm churches today?

4) What can you do to help change the trend that we see today?

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Prayer Requests

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

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Week 6

Week 7

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The LettersJesus’ Words for the Seven Churches