Revelation 2:1
The Church Road
Rev 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first
and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a
book, and send it unto the seven churches which
are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and
unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto
Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
The book of Revelation is primarily a book of prophecy, but not just
prophecy. It also has some truths about what is happening and what
has happened as indicated in verse 11.
It is also a letter that Jesus wrote and sent to seven of His
churches. The names of the church are also listed in verse 11.
Question: Why these seven churches?
Answer: There were many churches. If God picked these seven out,
there must have been a reason. In fact, I believe God had several
reasons for picking these seven church, but the one I will focus on
this morning is that each of the seven churches represent every
church. These seven are, as it were, mile markers along a highway on
which you can find all of the churches that are, that have been, and
will be. I will call this highway the Church Road.
The difference in the Church Road and the roads you and I normally
travel is that the Church Road does not run from north to south or
from east to west but from spiritual like to carnal. Let’s follow the
road and see if we can find where our church is on the Church Road.
Take note that I believe God not only had a reason for picking these
churches, but that He also had a reason for putting them in the order
they are listed in the Bible. However, to make it easier to focus on
where we are on the Church Road, I am going to rearrange them.
I. The Church On A Road To Itself
A. One of these seven churches does not belong on the same road
as the other six. It is a church unique and forms a parallel
highway all to itself.
B. \\#2:8-11\\ It is the church of Smyrna
C. Smyrna is the persecuted church.
Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and
poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the
blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and
are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt
suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you
into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall
have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto
death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
1. The letter written to Smyrna is the shortest of the seven
churches—only four verse long.
2. In the letter, there is no mention of its doctrine, no
condemnation of its workers, and little in the way of
details concerning its members.
3. Instead their plight is described. Jesus told them that
He knew what they were going through (tribulation and
poverty), and He knew why (they were being attacked by
those of the synagogue of Satan).
D. I say that this church is on a road by itself because most
churches will never face persecution.
1. Perhaps we all should, but most of us never will.
2. Most will not because we will not stand like this church
stood—for Christ and against the devil.
a. It is not that a church must seek persecution.
b. It is more that if a church does its job, it will be
persecuted.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
E. Why are there no judgments concerning Smyrna? No notes of
correction or rebuke?
1. Because the persecution speaks for itself.
2. The members of this church loved Jesus more than life
itself.
3. Even if there were—and there always are—some
imperfections within Smyrna, their devotion to Jesus
showed the imperfections to be minor and irrelevant.
F. To this church, the Judge simply said:
1. Rev 2:10 …and I will give thee a crown of life.
2. I don’t know what that crown is, but it must be one of the
most treasured of all gifts the Savior gives for these
people gave the most treasured of all gifts that they
had: their fortunes, their honor, and their lives.
II. The More Common Highway - Let’s start at the intersection of
righteous and Christ like and count the mile makers backward.
A. Mile Maker #5 - Philadelphia \\#3:7-13\\
1. Philadelphia is the church with great power and
opportunity.
Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set
before thee an open door, and no man can shut
it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast
kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of
Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but
do lie; behold, I will make them to come and
worship before thy feet, and to know that I have
loved thee.
2. For this church, the Lord had opened a door of blessing
and service and no one could close it—not even those
who were of the synagogue of Satan.
a. It is interesting that the Lord opened this door of
power and service not the church of Philadelphia.
b. While Jesus did say that they had "keep the word of"
His patience \\#10,\\ He also said Philadelphia had
"little strength" in \\#8\\, meaning this great door
was not opened by them.
c. We just read the Scriptures concerning Smyrna.
(1) Both churches were facing the same enemy, those
from the synagogue of Satan.
(2) Yet, Smyrna was being persecuted and imprisoned
by the enemy while Philadelphia rolled over them
like a steamroller.
(3) There was nothing in the text to indicate that
Smyrna suffered persecution because of their
shortcomings and nothing to indicate that
Philadelphia continued on because of their
righteousness.
(4) Of course there is no doubt that righteousness
can unleash God’s power and sin can quench it;
but both of these churches seem to be spiritual
giants compared to most.
(5) The difference lay in the will of God for each
church. God had determined a path of pain and
persecution for Smyrna and a path of blessings
and service for Philadelphia.
(6) We must all understand that God is the One who
picks our paths. Our is to be holy, pure, and
prepared for whatever road on which God may
place us.
B. Mile Marker #4 - Ephesus \\#2:1-7\\
1. Ephesus is the church that veered.
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and
thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them
which are evil: and thou hast tried them which
say they are apostles, and are not, and hast
found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for
my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not
fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love.
2. Ephesus had such a great history.
a. \\#2\\ They had labored for Jesus.
b. They had much patience for Jesus.
(1) That would mean that they had to endure much for
Jesus.
(2) Patience, like faith, is only needed in the hard
times.
c. They would not put up with evil doers.
d. And they checked out the ministers to make certain
they were legitimate.
e. \\#3\\ They had not fainted or quit.
f. Since this is Jesus’ list, these must be some of the
things that God wants most in His people.
3. \\#4\\ However, they had veered in the most important
area.
a. They had lost their first love.
(1) It is interesting how God stated that.
(2) He did not tell anybody what their first love
was.
(3) And the church that has lost their first love
probably won’t know what the first love of a
church should be.
b. They had lost their love for Jesus; at least, their
love for Jesus had lost first place in their lives.
4. Understand some facts:
a. A church cannot travel too far down the carnal road
until AFTER they lose their first love. God just
won’t let them.
b. Understand, all of the other wrongs that happen along
the Church Road will be a direct result of this
veering off in the church’s first love.
c. After a church has lost its first love, their speed
of travel into carnality will greatly increase.
remainder of the church Jesus spoke to will all have
the same problem.
5. The priority for every church and for every Christian
is that we keep Jesus as our first love.
C. Mile Marker #3 - Laodicea \\#3:14-22\\
1. Laodicea is the "I don’t care" church. The Bible calls
it the "lukewarm" church.
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art
neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or
hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of
my mouth.
2. This is a church that has lost its devotion.
3. I had a very hard time determining where this church
belonged on the Church Road, mainly because they still
had their good works. They just didn’t care if the works
were done or not.
4. Then I realized:
a. A church cannot develop an "I don’t care" attitude
until they lose their first love.
b. A church will not allow wrong into their church until
they develop an "I don’t care" attitude.
5. Remember, a church is not the brick and mortar of the
building but the people!
6. I’m afraid Mile Marker #3 is not the last stop on the
highway from Christ like to carnal.
D. Mile Marker #2 - Pergamos \\#2:12-17\\
1. Like the church of Ephesus, the church of Pergamos HAD A
history of good works, but it had allowed false teachers
and false doctrine to creep in.
Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee,
because thou hast there them that hold the
doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a
stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to
eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit
fornication.
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine
of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
2. Notice the Judge’s condemnation of this church:
Rev 2:14 …thou hast there them that hold the
doctrine of Balaam….
a. Those with the bad doctrine were not teaching there,
not preaching there, not leading there.
b. They were just there.
c. I am sure that there were people in the church who
knew they were there; but as long as they did not do
anything to them, they really didn’t care.
3. Listen to me very carefully for there is a fine line here.
a. Christians and the church are to be loving and kind
and tolerant, but they are not to tolerate error
or false teachers of major doctrines.
b. We do not all have to believe everything exactly the
same, but there are some doctrines that are too
dangerous to ignore.
c. They must be identified and removed from the church.
d. That is not just my view. It is the Bible’s.
2 John 1:10 If there come any unto you, and
bring not this doctrine (the doctrine of Christ),
receive him not into your house, neither bid him
God speed:
e. What kind of doctrines are we talking about?
(1) Any doctrine that has to do with the Bible,
the Savior, or salvation.
(2) These three doctrines are cornerstone doctrines:
(a) Without an inspired, preserved Bible, the
church has no knowledge for everything we
know and believe about the eternal things
is found within the pages of the Bible.
(b) Without an incarnate, virgin born, sinless,
Savior who died a substitutionary death
for our sins and rose on the third day,
we have no salvation and no reason to
exist.
(c) Without an eternal salvation of grace based
solely on the works of Jesus Christ, we
have no message and are left with no hope
or message.
f. There is yet one more threat to a church so great
that it’s partakers must be identified and removed
from the church.
(1) Those who cause divisions.
Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark
them which cause divisions and offences contrary
to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid
them.
2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(2) Those who joy is to split and divide the church
do not have the spirit of Christ.
4. If those who would divide the church and seduce it with
false doctrine are not removed from the church, they will
soon corrupt the church, as the church of Pergamos found
out too late.
E. Mile Marker #1 - Thyatira \\#2:18-29\\ - A once great church
ruined by false prophets.
1. This is the longest of the seven letters, but we only
need to look at a few:
Rev 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and
service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy
works; and the last to be more than the first.
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against
thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and
to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and
to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her
fornication; and she repented not.
2. The false prophet, here called Jezebel, was not just "at"
Thyatira.
a. She was teaching and seducing God’s servants here.
b. Jezebel should have never gotten her foot into the
door and she would not have if the church were not
traveling downward into carnality on the Church
Road!
(1) They left their love and their devotion.
(2) Now their very doctrine is at risk.
3. The Judge was not at all pleased.
a. \\#21\\ He said He had given them time to repent, but
they had not.
b. \\#22-23\\ He said that He will soon destroy them.
4. But the road to carnality has not ended yet.
F. Mike Marker #0 - Sardis \\#3:1-6\\
1. This is the end of the line, Ground Zero. The Church Road
ends here because Sardis is the dead church.
Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in
Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the
seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know
thy works, that thou hast a name that thou
livest, and art dead.
2. They compromised their hearts first, then their devotion,
then doctrine, and finally they compromised their
leaders and let Jezebel come in.
3. What else could happen? And if the church did not die,
what good would it have been? No love for Jesus. No
sure Word of God. And false prophets who make up their
doctrines for preachers.
4. But notice, that even in a dead church, there are still
some living Christians.
Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis
which have not defiled their garments; and they
shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
a. I have met some of these Christians.
b. They are typically weak, confused, and discouraged,
but they won’t leave their dead church, either out of
some strange loyalty to a dead past or—sometimes—
just because of pride.
c. "That’s my church," they say. "And I don’t care what
goes on there."
d. The Bible does not say, but I would say that if you
have a choice, leave that church.
e. Jesus said, "Let the dead bury the dead."
f. If there is no possibility of a resurrection, go find
a living church.
g. Yet, in many areas of the world, there are no living
churches to be found.
h. In such a case, stay for Jesus takes note of those
forced to live among the dead and promises great
rewards.
So here we have it. A road that every church travels. Where are we?
If you could drive up and down this road, you would never find a
building called the Green Pond Baptist Church. What you would find
is our members scattered along this road because a church is not a
building. It is the people. Where would you be found along this
highway.
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