Revelation 2-3
Session #3 of David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 2-3. Jesus does not pamper His people but confronts, warns, challenges us - He gives us words because we are at war fighting a daily battle with sin, evil, and suffering temptation every day for our marriages, families, homes, hearts, etc - a raging battle exists for our souls and we must be prepared to rise to the challenge. Jesus wants us to walk with purity, to walk with the Gospel because something greater than life on earth here is at stake - life for eternity is at stake and we should not fall away - instead we must stand ready. Jesus provides words that comfort and strengthen us in the battle so that we can stand and fight with deep conviction.
In chapters 2-3, Jesus writes letters to seven churches commending and rebuking them, warning and commanding them, but also encouraging them.
Platt also wants us to understand more broadly:
Jesus commends us the seven churches for:
Jesus leaves us with two commands (1) to remember who we are (identity in Christ) and what Jesus says, (2) to repent and turn from sin and to trust in Jesus.
We are encouraged to receive and find treasure in Jesus, clothe our life in Jesus, and to fix our eyes on Jesus (see Revelation 2:5, 2:16, 2:22, 3:3, and 3:16). We are warned from falling away (see also Hebrews 3:14-17) and when we waver, don't fall away. By grace through faith true followers will persevere and work to the end (see Matthew 24, Hebrews 10:36). Those who fall away were not truly with us to begin with (see 1 John 2:19).
We are promised incredible rewards if we fight and work to the end; secure protection from the horror of hell; shared participation in reign of Christ, permanent citizenship in the city of God which will never be shaken and enjoy perpetual feasting and celebration
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. v19-22
Session #3 of David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 2-3. Jesus does not pamper His people but confronts, warns, challenges us - He gives us words because we are at war fighting a daily battle with sin, evil, and suffering temptation every day for our marriages, families, homes, hearts, etc - a raging battle exists for our souls and we must be prepared to rise to the challenge. Jesus wants us to walk with purity, to walk with the Gospel because something greater than life on earth here is at stake - life for eternity is at stake and we should not fall away - instead we must stand ready. Jesus provides words that comfort and strengthen us in the battle so that we can stand and fight with deep conviction.
In chapters 2-3, Jesus writes letters to seven churches commending and rebuking them, warning and commanding them, but also encouraging them.
Platt also wants us to understand more broadly:
- Jesus knows us truly - we cannot hide anything; Revelation 3:1
- Jesus loves us deeply; even in the most stern and strong moments He still loves us and He disciplines us out of love
- Jesus guards us zealously
- Jesus uses us purposely; He wants to send us out to the front lines of the battle against Satan, sin, and evil so others would know his grace, etc.
Jesus commends us the seven churches for:
- faithful perseverance; in chapters 2-3 endurance and or perseverance is referenced 5 times in these chapters; for guarding the church internally (for example from false teachers in Ephesus see Revelation 2:6); for advancing church externally
- for faithful proclamation of the name of Christ in the midst of persecution religiously, economically, socially, and governmentally; be aware that today it is increasingly common in our culture for believers to be labeled dangerous and evil and we must not shirk back!
- trusting God amidst testing (see Revelation 2:10); God allows or ordains suffering for testing of saints throughout the Bible (examples: Jesus in the wilderness, Paul's thorn in side, Joseph in Egypt); Satan is subordinate and although he intends suffering to sabotage us, God is sovereign and uses suffering to sanctify us
- for loving God among temptation and for walking in purity
- for compromise; tolerance for evil idolatry and immorality (Revelation 2:14, 2:20); tolerance of error false teaching and teachers; tolerance for sake of financial gain, social acceptance, and personal safety
- for complacency; lukewarm faith (Revelation 3:14-20); church in Laodicea marked itself for self-sufficiency and self-satisfaction; Sardis failed to complete works of God (Revelation 3:2)
Jesus leaves us with two commands (1) to remember who we are (identity in Christ) and what Jesus says, (2) to repent and turn from sin and to trust in Jesus.
We are encouraged to receive and find treasure in Jesus, clothe our life in Jesus, and to fix our eyes on Jesus (see Revelation 2:5, 2:16, 2:22, 3:3, and 3:16). We are warned from falling away (see also Hebrews 3:14-17) and when we waver, don't fall away. By grace through faith true followers will persevere and work to the end (see Matthew 24, Hebrews 10:36). Those who fall away were not truly with us to begin with (see 1 John 2:19).
We are promised incredible rewards if we fight and work to the end; secure protection from the horror of hell; shared participation in reign of Christ, permanent citizenship in the city of God which will never be shaken and enjoy perpetual feasting and celebration
- I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7
- The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Revelation 2:11
- To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. Revelation 2:17
- To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations... I will also give that one the morning star. Revelation 2:26, 28
- The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Revelation 3:5
- The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Revelation 3:12
- To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21
