Order in the Court of the King! (Changing Minds and Hearts – 5)

The ‘Builder’ of the Church is Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). The Apostle Paul explained the ‘structure’ of the Church using terms his readers would understand –

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

Jesus Christ ‘Himself’ is the ‘chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.’ Jesus built the ‘household of God’ on the ‘foundation of the apostles and prophets.’

As we bring Volume VII to a close, in fact the entire series to a close, I want to focus on what Jesus Christ said to the churches. We’ve seen in previous part of the series what the apostles said. Now let’s see what the ‘chief cornerstone’ says.

Keep in mind that the theme of this series has been about ‘decency and order’ in God’s Kingdom, which includes His Church (e.g. Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 4:20; Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5). In the midst of many contentions and divisions, caused by elitist pride among some in the Corinthian church, Paul wrote – ‘Let all things be done decently and in order.’

That is God’s way. He created a universe and earth in a decently and orderly way. Following humanity’s fall into sinfulness, God guided people toward living in a decently and orderly way. As God revealed His Law to Moses and Israel, we see how He wanted decency and order among His chosen people. The same is true of the Church. Let us now here from the Lord and Savior of the Church who will guide us toward decency and order as we worship and serve Him together in unity.

How Jesus Guides His Church

We learn in Hebrews 1 that God spoke ‘at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets.’ However, in these ‘last days’ God has ‘spoken to us by His Son.’ We know what Jesus said because of the men He chose to speak and write about what He said and did. Those men, apostles and some ministry partners, spoke and wrote as they were ‘inspired’ by the Holy Spirit.

At the end of the apostolic period, the risen and ascended Jesus appeared to the Apostle John. He told John to write letters to seven churches ‘which are in Asia” (Revelation 1:4). John wrote those letters toward the end of the 1st century AD. By that time there were many more than seven churches in the Roman Empire, so why did Jesus address just those seven? It may be because those churches knew John personally and would not have disputed about the authenticity of the authorship. It may be that those seven churches described well the challenges that churches across the empire were facing, and would face for centuries to come. Whatever the reason, we are blessed today to be able to read what Jesus said to the churches.

This is what Jesus said to an astonished Apostle John –

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. Revelation 1:11

The Apostle Paul planted one or more of those churches and influenced others who would evangelize in those cities. Paul taught publicly in Ephesus by ‘reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks’ (Acts 19:9-10). Notice that ‘all who dwelt in Asia’ heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, ‘both Jews and Gentiles.’

The reason I say this is because some Christians believe the seven churches of Revelation were of only Jewish origin and had no Gentiles in them. That interpretation is a great mistake and most unfortunate. According to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Jews and Gentiles made up the ‘one new man’ that was Christ’s Body (Ephesians 2:1-18). To think otherwise is to contradict the clear teaching of the Apostle Paul.

Messages to Seven Churches

Christ’s messages to the seven churches are found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. We can break down the basic message to each church in this way –

Ephesus – Loveless
Smyrna – Persecuted
Pergamos – Compromising
Thyatira – Corrupt
Sardis – Dead
Philadelphia – Faithful
Laodicea – Lukewarm

If Jesus wrote your church leaders a letter to be read openly at next Sunday morning’s service, which of the seven letters would you hear read? Loveless? Persecuted? Compromising? Corrupt? Dead? Faithful? Lukewarm? I dare say we might be surprised to learn what Jesus Christ thinks of our churches today.

I’ve written a great many words about the ‘seven churches’ in other studies on GraceLife and Faith and Self Defense, so I invite you to search the archives of each blog to read more about the individual problems the churches faced. I also invite you to do your own careful study of each church, rightly dividing the Word of truth to discover the truth.

What I would like to emphasize in this last part of our series is ‘what’ Jesus wants from each of His churches, and ‘how’ He expects them to accomplish His will. Look carefully at His guidance to each of the seven churches. Notice each time Jesus uses the words ‘repent’ and ‘hear what the Spirit says’ –

Ephesus – “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

Smyrna – “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Pergamos – “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Thyatira – “Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.” “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Sardis – “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.” “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Philadelphia – “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Laodicea – “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth … As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Jesus Christ, who sits on Heaven’s Throne far above every name that is named, told five of the seven churches (except for Smyrna and Philadelphia) to ‘repent.’ He told all of the churches to ‘hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ That is our Lord’s guidance to bringing ‘decency and order’ to His Kingdom.

Every Church’s Challenge

Jesus Christ dictated His letters to the ‘seven churches’ in Asia more than 19-hundreds years ago. His words and the words written by His apostles have stood the test of time. Even though the enemy has fought with all his power and resources, he has not been able to defeat God. No church or denomination, no matter how big, how powerful, how influential, can defeat God. God’s Word is sure and unchanging. As the prophet Isaiah wrote, “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to identify the type of church you lead or attend. Next, identify any problems, contentions, or divisions within the church. Then, do what Jesus Christ and His apostles tell you to do. “Hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Listen to the Holy Spirit of God, remembering that the Spirit will never say anything contrary to what He has already said to the prophets and apostles through divine ‘inspiration.’

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:19-21

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The choice is yours – even as the Church has had to choose through the centuries. Will you put Christ first? Will you obey His Voice above all other voices? Will you ‘hear what the Spirit says to the churches?’

AI Statement

I’ve been writing professionally since the 1960’s — long before Artificial Intelligence was a ‘thing’ that might concern readers. However, since it has now become a ‘thing,’ let me assure you that I do not use AI to write any of my blog articles. I research material the old-fashioned way. I study the topic, confirm what I find from multiple reliable sources (usually at least 3-5 independent sources — known as ‘triangulation’ in the world of journalism), then report it while disclosing the sources and sharing quotes from some of the sources.

WordPress does offer an image service where the writer can ‘generate’ an image. I have used that on occasion when appropriate and identified the image as AI Generated. I have also found a few AI charts that I confirmed as accurate and used them as well. I also identify them as AI Generated. If I ever share a direct ‘quote’ from AI (which is rare), I will also identify the quote as AI Generated. Otherwise, what you read in blog articles is my personal way of communicating — something I’ve done for almost 60 years. Hope that helps explain how I view and use AI.