The Message to the Church

Lesson outline 1 in the series
Letters to the Church

The messages to the seven churches form the second division of the book of Revelation as outlined in Revelation 1:19 - the things which are. They are, therefore, directly applicable to the church today.
These messages have a three-fold importance:

Each has a primary association - a local and direct message to the church in existence at that time and in that location.
Each also has a personal application - addressed to any one individual who will hear the message ("he who has an ear let him hear") - 2:7,11,17,19; 3:6,13,22
Each also has "a prophetic anticipation" - a clear picture, in advance, of church history from John's day to the present. Even the names of the churches hint at this prophecy.

Ephesus (2:1) = desirable (loving relationship with Christ by first Christians)
Smyrna (2:8) from myrrh, associated with suffering (persecution under the Roman emperors)
Pergamos (2:12) = married (acceptance of Christianity under Constantine)
Thyatira (2:18) = continual sacrifice (rise of catholicism)
Sardis (3:1) = escape (Protestant reformation)
Philadelphia (3:7) = brotherly love (liberalism)
Laodicea (3:14) = justice by the people (radicalism)

To each church the Lord offers (1) a complement; (2) a criticism; (3) a correction, and (4) a challenge.
The Lord also offers a promise to individuals, referred to as the "overcomers," within the churches, at the end of each message - 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21
The important thing to remember is that any believer, in any stage of church history, can be an "overcomer" - I John 5:4,5

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