Rev. 2:1-7, The Head of the Church (2)

 Jesus is the Head of the Church.  In yesterday’s reading (Rev. 1:10-20) we saw the One who walks among the candlesticks.  It is a powerful picture.  There is fire and bronze, a voice like many waters, and a sword coming out of His mouth.  It is not only a picture of our Head; it is the One who will rule over the nations. 

When you read the seven letters, each includes a description of this Judge taken from chapter one.  In today’s letter to the Ephesian Church, it comes from the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.  The next words are, I know your works.  Each letter contains those words.  This is the point of the fire in the Lord’s eyes: His vision penetrates, cutting away the fluff and verbiage so He sees what is real.  The sword reveals His standard of judgment, God’s Word.  The fact that He walks among the candlesticks means He watches over each church.  Rev. 2-3 is so important to a local church.

We mentioned several churches in the last post.  Hear what Jesus says to each.

·       To the small, suffering church (Smyrna), He says I know your affliction.  Do not fear.  Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.

·       To the church that has tolerated false teaching (Pergamos), He says “repent” or I will come and fight against you.  Be overcomers!

·       To the church that allowed false teachers to be influential (Thyatira), He rebukes and promises to give those who follow the teaching what their works deserve.

·       To the dead church that looks like it’s alive (Sardis), but whose works are imperfect before God, He calls them to strengthen what little they have or He will come upon them at a time they least expect Him.

·       To the church of little strength but that is faithful to the Word (Philadelphia), He promises an open door for ministry.

·       To the self-satisfied church with no passion (Laodicea), He calls them to open the door to Him and let Him into their fellowship!

What about the first church, Ephesus.  What did Jesus see that was troubling?  They had left their first love!  The zealous life that characterized the church at first, a life of faith, hope and love, a life passionate about Christ as Lord, was gone. Remember 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. 

We believe this is more the problem in a church that closes its doors.  Dependence on programs and other human resources rather than on Christ brings us to leave our first love.  The church becomes a well-oiled machine rather than the “mature man” Christ had in mind.  The study of the “hina” clauses should help us in hearing the desire of Christ for His Church.  Our response is not to redouble our efforts or improve the organization.  It is to fall harder on Christ.  He who seeks his own life will lose it; that is true of churches as it is of individual believers.