The Lord Of The Church

Jesus instructions on how to do church.

Ephesians 1:22-23 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is His body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself.

Ephesians 4:15-16 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

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It must have been difficult for the people that lived in the Old Testament world to adapt to the teachings of the New Testament. Suddenly their world was turned upside down as they are asked to live under a new set of guidelines that came as a result of one man's teaching.

The religious burden that their temple leaders had them under was no longer necessary. The days of going to the temple to restore fellowship with God are gone forever in an  instant. The temple has been been moved from a brick and mortar location to a supernatural place within God's children.

The days of going to a building to meet a man that would come to God on your behalf was replaced by a new and perfect High Priest that lives within each of us. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:14-10:18)

There has never been a church before so their church leaders didn't know how to do it. They didn't have all of the church plant research that is available today. God chose to give the church a detailed study of what he expects of the church and what she should look like and how she should behave. Revelation chapters two and three gives us examples that are still useful today.

Seven Church Profiles To Learn From:

Ephesus, The Cold Church You can be very busy serving God but if you are doing it just to follow the rules instead of it coming from an overwhelming love for him then you are no better than the religious leaders that Jesus opposed during his ministry. Smyrna, The Suffering Church - One of two churches with no criticism. Their stand for Jesus caused them to lose everything but in reality their suffering only increased their riches. All of the potential trouble makers are already long gone from this congregation, if church isn't going to be cool and comfortable then the hypocrites are not going to stick around. Pergamum, The Compromising Church Compromised beliefs have been around from the beginning of time when mankind decided to turn away from God's rule. From that day on world history has been filled with substitutes for the truth that we find in God's Word. Thyatira, The Corrupted Church This church would have been very popular in today's culture where tolerance is expected of everybody and absolute truth and values are not allowed. What God has said is wrong in His Word, many, even in the religious community, are now calling normal and holy. Sardis, The Feeble Church What a sobering thought to know that it is possible to think that we are working for God and doing things that we think that he wants us to do and then get a message from him letting you know that you are wrong. Philadelphia, The Faithful Church - One of two churches with no criticism. The church in Philadelphia had little strength but it didn't matter because they never denied Jesus, they were true to him, they knew the source of their strength. It came from Jesus and he would protect them because they have been faithful and obedient.  Laodicea, The Foolish Church - Only criticism with no commendations It is easy to be so well blessed that you forget where the blessings come from and you start to depend on the blessings instead of the one who blesses. The church at Laodicea didn't think that they were lacking anything.

Remember, these were some of the first churches that we know about, they didn't know how to do church, in mercy Jesus warned them with these letters so they could change and be successful in his eyes.

The church today has many advantages that the first churches didn't have yet the church still has a difficult time. If you consider all of the information on how to have a successful church that is available today you could wonder how a church could possibly fail.

We need to remember that it is Jesus church and only he can build the church when he have such a powerful adversary. We must depend on Jesus commands to the church found in these letters so that we will not hear him say: "I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of My God." (Revelation 3:2)

I think there are few churches today that have a zealous desire for Jesus, there are not very many that are wanting to experience the red hot church of the Book of Acts, most of us are okay to be a member of one of the churches represented in the Book of Revelation. I pray that we won't be satisfied when we fall so short of being the church that pleases Jesus.

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The Foolish Church

Living between hot and cold is repulsive to Jesus.

Revelation 3:15-21 "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth! 17 You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

18 So I advise you to buy gold from Me--gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

20 "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 21 Those who are victorious will sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat with My Father on His throne.

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It is easy to be so well blessed that you forget where the blessings come from and you start to depend on the blessings instead of the one who blesses. The church at Laodicea didn't think that they were lacking anything but that is because they were using their physical eyes instead of their spiritual.

"You are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked."

They thought that their gold and their fine garments and the ointment that their city was famous for were signs that God was pleased with them. But Jesus offers us so much more than the riches and pleasures of this world. Just like the Samaritan women at the well who was offered the Living Water, just like the crowd that was offered the Bread of life, Jesus is offering a better gold, better garments and better ointment for their eyes. The things that the world has to offer are never as good as the things that Jesus has for us. (Revelation 3:18)

This church thought that they were doing a good job, they were busy building themselves up, they thought that they were rich but Jesus says that they are poor. This stands in contrast to the church at Smyrna that thought it was poor and Jesus said that they are rich. (Revelation 2:9-10)

This church reminds me of God's children in the Old Testament, most of the time they were proud of the fact that they were not too radical, they thought that they could please God while they embraced the ways of the people around them.

1 Kings 18:21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, "How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!" But the people were completely silent.

It seems a lot like the church today in America. We don't like to be offensive but the gospel is offensive. We don't like to be different from the rest of the world but that is exactly the way God's children are called to be. Instead of being offensive we have allowed historic beliefs of the church that have been part of our creeds and part of Biblical teaching to be watered down and contradicted.

So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

Our everyday lives lack passion for the Lord, the message to Laodicea is also to us, get hot for Jesus, be radical instead of ordinary. A zeal for the things of God will cause us to cheerfully work for him and our love for him will help us stand for truth because when we love something strongly then we will hate all that is against it.

Jesus is waiting for us to let him into our church, it sounds a little bit strange, the church has to be willing to have him for him to come in. The thing that made this church so foolish is that they were trying to do church without Jesus. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Yet there are plenty of "churches" today that are attempting to do just that.

Jesus has gone to extreme measures to get to the door but he will not open the door and force his way into our congregation. We often use these verses to lead lost people to Christ, but the basic application here is to the church.

The inscription on the cathedral in Lubeck, Germany:

"Ye call Me Master and obey me not,
Ye call Me Light and see Me not,
Ye call Me Way and walk not,
Ye call Me Life and desire Me not,
Ye call Me wise and follow Me not,
Ye call Me fair and love Me not,
Ye call Me rich and ask Me not,
Ye call Me eternal and seek Me not,
Ye call Me gracious and trust Me not,
Ye call Me noble and serve Me not,
Ye call Me mighty and honor Me not,
Ye call Me just and fear Me not,
If I condemn you, blame me not".

We have a tendency to stay in the lukewarm zone, very few people like to be overly hot or cold, it is natural for us to seek a comfortable temperature. As a follower of Jesus we don't get to stay comfortable if we want to please God.

I think there are few churches today that have a zealous desire for Jesus, not very many are wanting to experience the red hot church of the Book of Acts, most of us want just enough Jesus to keep us out of Hell.

It is very difficult for us to see ourselves as God sees us and view our sins as being as offensive as he does. If I agree with God about my condition, if I agree with him that I am a wretched man without him, if I view my sins as being offensive to him then I will not try to live in between hot and cold.

We should learn from the church of Laodicea:

• Seek our riches from God and reject the counterfeit riches of the world. 
• Hold onto sound doctrine despite the views of the world.
• Serve God with passion and reject halfhearted devotion to him. 
• Be sure that Jesus is welcome inside our church so we can fellowship with him.

SCRIPTURE ON ZEAL

Psalm 69:9/ John 2:17/ Romans 12:11/ 2 Corinthians 7:11/ Galatians 4:18/ Titus 2:14

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The Faithful Church

The faithful don't need to be strong.

Revelation 3:7-13 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the One who is holy and true, the One who has the key of David. What He opens, no one can close; and what He closes, no one can open:

8 "I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed My word and did not deny Me. 9 Look, I will force those who belong to Satan's synagogue--those liars who say they are Jews but are not--to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.

10 "Because you have obeyed My command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. 12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of My God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of My God, and they will be citizens in the city of My God--the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from My God. And I will also write on them My new name.

13 "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches."

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The church in Philadelphia receives a message from the One True God that is in control of everything. Philadelphia was found faithful to the one that is called "Holy and True" and they would receive commendation from Jesus without any discipline. (Revelation 6:10)

Thankfully God is not just Holy without being True! We would never be good enough if we were required to match his holiness on our own, but thankfully we don't have to because he is also True to all of his predictions and promises that he has made.

2 Corinthians 12:10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The church in Philadelphia had little strength (Revelation 3:8) but it didn't matter because they never denied Jesus, they were true to him, they knew the source of their strength. It came from Jesus and he would protect them because they have been faithful and obedient. (Revelation 3:10)

Jesus shows his strength to the church to encourage them:

• Jesus has opened a door that no one can close.
• Jesus closes a door then no one can open.
• Jesus will force Satan's people to bow and acknowledge that God's children are loved.
• Jesus will protect us from the Great Tribulation.
• Jesus will come back for his church to give them their reward.
• Jesus will make us citizens in the city of God.

In these verses of Revelation Jesus made a lot of promises to the church that was faithful. The faithful church has the greatest hope because it has the ultimate source of strength and because of that it has the brightest future. We should be the most joyful people because God is on our side.

The church in the United States has more freedoms than any other church has ever had and we also have the greatest amount of financial resources but sadly we are doing very little. We need to be found faithful in using the opportunities that we have been blessed with so that the gospel message will be declared to the nations.

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The Feeble Church

Do your actions please God?

Revelation 3:1-6 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the One who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: "I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive--but you are dead.

2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of My God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to Me again. If you don't wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.

4 "Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before My Father and His angels that they are Mine. 6 "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.

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Busy people hate to know that all of the stuff they were doing doesn't matter to anyone, that is the ultimate letdown for a follower of Jesus, the worst thing that can happen is to find out that your work and sacrifice isn't pleasing God.

What a sobering thought to know that it is possible to think that we are working for God and doing things that we think that he wants us to do and then get a message from him letting you know that you are wrong.

"I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of My God."

The church of Sardis was a busy church with a great reputation with the community but it didn't receive the same praise from God. Physically they were very alive but spiritually they didn't have much life left in them. The community didn't have any reason to oppose these people because even though they were busy they were powerless.

Dead people don't accomplish very much so there isn't any reason to oppose them, the same is true of a spiritually dead church, their busyness doesn't concern Satan. The church didn't have any spiritual attacks against them because they were not effective for the Kingdom of God.

Don't try to impress the community with your programs that are built on your own strength, these will produce little for the Kingdom without God's approval, the plans must be his and the heart of the people doing his plans must also be his and must be right with him.

If we mess up either of those conditions then we will eventually receive the news that we need to make some changes, God will deal with us when we least expect it, like a thief in the night.

“Wake up! Be watchful! Repent! Remember the Word you have received and obey it!” 

The church is Sardis had a little bit of life left in them, God could have just sat by and let that spark die out but he desires better for us and gives us a warning that our actions do not please him.

God knows our weakness and our inability to totally follow his ways one hundred percent. The cure for this nearly dead church was to remember the way that they had first responded to the truth of God and to repent.

Thankfully he is a gracious and merciful father that gives his children a chance to change their ways.

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The Corrupted Church

The world doesn't need a tolerant and compromising church.

Revelation 2:18-29 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze: 19 "I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.

20 "But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman--that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet--to lead My servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.

22 "Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the One who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.

24 "But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching ('deeper truths,' as they call them--depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you 25 except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.

26 To all who are victorious, who obey Me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. 27 They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. 28 They will have the same authority I received from My Father, and I will also give them the morning star! 29 "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.

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This church was doing some really great things, Jesus said that he knows "ALL the things you do" and he was pleased with their love, faith, service, and patient endurance. Not only were they doing all of those things they were also getting better at doing all of those things. They must have had a great discipleship program in their church.

Even though they were constantly improving in so many areas, we all know that there isn't a perfect church, it is easy for any church to emphasize certain qualities and as a result they tend to neglect something else. After Jesus commendation he let's them know where they needed to focus their attention.

This church would have been very popular in today's culture where tolerance is expected of everybody and absolute truth and values are not allowed. What God has said is wrong in His Word, many, even in the religious community, are now calling normal and holy. That is what was happening in the church at Thyatira as well.

It is interesting to contrast the churches at Ephesus and Thyatira. The Ephesian church was weakening in its love, yet faithful to judge false teachers; while the people in the assembly at Thyatira were growing in their love, but too tolerant of false doctrine. Both extremes must be avoided in the church.

-Warren Weirsbe

Jesus tolerated people that he didn't agree with without being mean to them, he tolerated people that were using him to get something from him and he tolerated physical abuse. In many ways Jesus was the most tolerant but in the essentials Jesus was very intolerant and narrow in his teaching.

The culture that Jesus lived in here on earth was very tolerant of things that he could not accept. Jesus never tolerated the sin and false teaching was all around him. Jesus hates the sin but he loves the sinner and wants to give him eternal life in his presence.
All of us have to decide how far we will go in accepting the cultural standards that our world embraces. Where do we draw the line in being friends with the culture around us without falling into compromise? Where are the boundaries?

We are citizens of another kingdom that we long to be in but for now we are trapped in a world that is ruled by sin and hostile to God's standards. This battle between the two worlds should create tension in us so that this world shouldn't feel like home to us. (Colossians 1:13)

Jesus words to the church in Thyatira to hold on tight are just as good for us today, he never says that it is going to be easier to live in this world, in fact he told us that we will have trouble but my love for Jesus should make it easier. Because I love him I am motivated to love what he loves and hate the sinful deeds of this world that caused him to suffer on the cross.

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The Compromising Church

A difficult environment never justifies compromise.

Revelation 2:12-17 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the One with the sharp two-edged sword: 13 "I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to Me. You refused to deny Me even when Antipas, My faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan's city.

14 "But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. 15 In a similar way, you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching.

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Everyone worships someone or something, Satan knows about this God given desire and he has limitless options to help you direct your worship where it doesn't belong, religious beliefs is a wide open category where you can pick and choose.

The church has always been in a battle to keep everything that isn't truth away from their beliefs. It is so important that most churches have a page on their website to tell you what their essential core beliefs are.

Compromised beliefs have been around from the beginning of time when mankind decided to turn away from God's rule. From that day on world history has been filled with substitutes for the truth that we find in God's Word.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

Jesus was pleased with the church in Pergamos for their stand for the truth in spite of severe persecution but they were not faultless. False teaching from the pagan culture that they lived in was being tolerated.

They didn't get any extra credit because they lived where Satan had so much influence. Judgment will come upon every church that accommodates the culture and seeks acceptance from man.

The world doesn't need a compromised church, they need to know that we have something that is worth living and dying for, the message of the gospel is too important. Jesus doesn't tolerate compromise, Jesus didn't look at their good side and ignore the bad and he didn't make excuses for them because of their difficult environment. The church must be a pure bride without blemish if it is going to attend the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The world doesn't need a judgmental and unloving church either, they need to hear the truth that will save them from eternal punishment but they also need to know that the church people are sinners that haven't forgotten their condition before the Gospel.

Let’s not compromise by seeing how close we can get to right; let’s stand on God’s promise to walk so close to Him that almost right becomes evil in our sight.

-Franklin Graham

God doesn't want any compromise at all but most of us look for the minimum amount of good that we need to do to please him. We go so far as to judge others that look less good to us but we don't know their circumstances. It is easier to look Christ like in some situations more than it is in others, we don't know what they have been called to stand against, they may have resisted far more than I have ever encountered.

Instead of just good enough we need to be seeking to become more like Jesus and stand for truth when it destroys our popularity. There isn't any room for this faulty logic when you realize our mandate is to be holy just as our God is holy. If we are new creations then we shouldn't look so much like our old self. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

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