TABLE OF CONTENTS
“Church Fiber” sermon manuscript …………………………………………………
Introduction …………………………………………………………………….
I. Four Views on the Angel ……………………………………….
A. Senior Pastor ……………………………………………
B. Key Elder or Representative ……………………………
C. Guardian Angel …………………………………………
D. The ‘Spirit’ or ‘Ethos’ of the Church …………………..
II. Four Questions Every Church Should Ask …………………….
A. What were the seven ‘spirits’ in the churches of Asia? ..
B. Should these ‘spirits’ be applied to the church today? …
C. What ‘spirit’ do we have in our church? ……………….
D. What is the solution for correcting the ‘spirit’? ………..
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………..
“The Ditch-Driven Church” sermon manuscript …………………………………..
Introduction …………………………………………………………………….
I. Local Churches in General …………………………………….
II. The Ditch-Driven Church at Ephesus ………………………….
III. The Ditch-Driven Church at Thyatira ………………………….
IV. Staying on the Road ……………………………………………
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………..
“Church Fiber” By Donny Varney Revelation 2-3
Proposition: There is a ‘spirit’ or ‘ethos’ that defined each of the seven churches in Asia and those same ‘spirits’
are found in the local church today and must be identified (when present) and called to repentance.
Introduction:
Before I even begin this message, perhaps it is best to provide a definition or two as I’m sure some of you are confused by the title of this message. By the word “fiber” I am not referring to the fiber that was a part of my breakfast this morning as I had a bowl of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran. Indeed, each serving of that particular cereal includes several grams of what is commonly called “dietary fiber”. I am also not talking about “a cylindrical, multinucleate cell composed of numerous myofibrils that contracts when stimulated”… that would be a definition of what is commonly called “muscle fiber”. And for those who know anything about muscle fibers – you know that there are two different types of muscle fibers. There are “slow-twitch muscle fibers”, which can contract repeatedly for hours and rely heavily on the aerobic energy system. These muscle fibers are used for those who would run in a marathon. I’ve run several of these and I am well aware that the marathon involves a completely different style of training. Then there are the “fast-twitch muscle fibers”, which contract quickly providing short bursts of energy and rely heavily on the anaerobic energy system. These muscle fibers are used for those who would run a 100-meter sprint.
The definition of fiber that I have in view for this message is “the inherent complex of attributes that, when combined, defines a person or organization’s moral, ethical, physical and spiritual actions and reactions and therefore, demonstrates the sum or whole of the parts”. Synonyms of this word “fiber” would be the following: character, backbone, integrity, personality, temperament, nature, spirit, behavior, attitude. Certainly any of these words would also fit for the title. In my opinion, this concept of “fiber” comes as close as anything to defining what I will be trying to describe as the ‘spirit’ of the seven churches in Asia and also the local church today.
For the bulk of this message I will refer to this ‘fiber’ of the church as the ‘spirit’ of the church. Please turn with me to the book of Revelation. We will be looking at chapters 2 and 3. Certainly, I am not going to attempt to cover everything that is found in these 2 chapters as that would take seven sermons or so. Rather today, I would like to give an overview of these 2 chapters and trace a few specific themes that emerge from the text as one reads it.
This may seem unusual and perhaps unnecessary, but I would like for everyone to stand and we are going to read aloud chapters 2 and 3. Here is how we are going to do it. First, I will have the text up on the screen behind me so that we can all be reading the same version, which I think will help a little bit. Second, I am going to break us up into seven different groups (one for each church in Asia). Our church is already divided into five different seating sections so that makes five of the groups pretty easy to identify. I’ve asked Shaun Shamblin (since he seems to always do a great job of reading Scripture) to be the reader for the sixth church and I will finish with the seventh church. Here we go.
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 2. 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3. and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. 4. 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5. 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place-- unless you repent. 6. 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.'
8. "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: 9. 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10. 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast 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. 11. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.'
12. "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 13. 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14. 'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality. 15. 'Thus you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16. 'Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'
18. "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 19. 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20. 'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21. 'And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22. 'Behold, I will cast her upon a bed [of sickness], and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23. 'And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24. 'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them-- I place no other burden on you. 25. 'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26. 'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27. and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28. and I will give him the morning star. 29. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Revelation 3:1. "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2. 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3. 'Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you. 4. 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white; for they are worthy. 5. 'He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels. 6. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
7. "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: 8. 'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9. 'Behold, I will cause [those] of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie-- behold, I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10. 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that [hour] which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. 11. 'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown. 12. 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon 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 My new name. 13. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
14. "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15. 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. 16. 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17. 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18. I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and [that] the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19. 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. 20. 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21. 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
That was awesome! Now you can see what I mean when I said there was no way we could cover everything that’s in here in just one sermon. My hope in doing this was for us to pick up on some of the themes that arise as you read through these chapters. We won’t be able to take a look at all the themes that are here (for there are many!), but there are a few in particular that are of great interest in regard to “Church Fiber”. In preparation for this message I have read many books, commentaries and a few select, reliable internet articles that have helped immensely in giving me a tremendous burden for this message. Let me be clear in stating up front that many of the things that I am about to cover are highly debated with many different opinions. The good news is that the overall conclusion (no matter where you land on certain parts) will still be the same, which makes the application for our church somewhat narrow-focused. To be sure, though different views will be shared on what exactly John had in mind, the application for us (as a church) will be crystal clear.
I. Four Views of “the angel”
First, I would like us to look at the introduction that is given to each of the seven churches in Asia. They all read the same: “To the angel of the church in ______”. So the question that comes to most people’s mind when they read that is this: “who or what is the angel?”. The list of options is somewhat extensive, though only about four are considered legitimate by most conservative scholars. Let’s look at the four views.
A. (View # 1) Angel = “Senior Pastor”
In his article, “Does your church have an angel?” Sam Storms gives four reasons why this view is unlikely.
“First, it is contrary to the New Testament portrait of church structure. Nowhere in the New Testament is a single individual described as exercising pastoral authority over a congregation. Rule by a plurality of elders is the standard biblical perspective. To argue otherwise is to assume, falsely in my opinion, that there was an evolutionary development in biblical ecclesiology in which a plurality of leadership in the early years of the church’s existence gradually gave way to a singular pastoral authority. In terms of historical development, subsequent to the closing of the biblical canon, this is precisely what happened (the first indication of a single pastor or bishop is found in the writings of Ignatius [@ 110 a.d.] and Clement of Rome). But that is far removed from saying it occurred within the canon itself.
Second, the word “angel” is used some 60x in Revelation and always means a supernatural or spiritual being. This is not a decisive objection, but it does place the burden of proof on the one who contends that the word here deviates from its standard use in the Apocalypse.
Third, the word “angel” is nowhere else in the New Testament used to designate an ecclesiastical office. Again, that doesn’t mean it can’t be applied that way in the Seven Letters, but it would be unique in the biblical revelation if it were.
Fourth, and finally, we know from Acts 20:17-38 that the Ephesian church was ruled by a plurality of elders. So, although I do believe in the legitimacy of a “senior” or “lead” pastor of a congregation (although he remains one Elder among a plurality who govern the body), I seriously doubt this is what Jesus had in mind when he used the word “angel” in these seven letters.”
In my opinion, all four of these reasons are solid and substantial, which is why I think it is unlikely that the word “angel” refers to the Senior Pastor of the church. So let’s briefly look at the second view.
B. (View # 2) Angel = “a human representative or key elder of the church”
The word for angel in the Greek is aggelos which literally means “messenger”. Because of that meaning it has led many commentators (including highly respected, John MacArthur) to argue that the word “angel” is simply a key elder representing the church. The reason for this thinking is because nowhere in the Bible do you find angels as leaders in the church. Supporters of this view would look at references like Luke 9:52 and a few others where the Greek word for angels is interpreted as “messengers”.
The problem with this view is that the main support comes from the literal meaning of the word (messenger) being interpreted as a human, which only happens in a very few isolated instances. Also, it doesn’t seem to make sense why the recipient wouldn’t have been addressed simply as “elder” instead of the obscure “angel”. One might defend this by stating that the majority of the book of Revelation is symbolic and that this would just be one more example of John using symbolic language. Let’s take a look now at the third view.
C. (View # 3) Angel = “the church’s guardian angel”
Although many people may laugh at the idea that every church has an actual “guardian angel”, there is surprisingly a fair amount of Scriptural support for this theory. Here are a few of the Biblical texts (with some comments from a cautious adherent to this particular theory) that give some credence to this possible interpretation.
“Angels are described as “ministers” (leitourgos), a word that suggests a priestly service (Hebrews 1:7,14; cf. Psalm 103:19-21). They provide guidance and direction for God’s people (Genesis 24:7,40; Exodus 14:19; see also Exodus 23:20; Numbers 20:16; Acts 5:17-20; 8:26; 10:3-7,22; 16:9), as well as comfort and encouragement (Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43; Acts 27:22-24). Angels also guard and protect the children of God, as is clear from Psalms 34:7; 78:23-25; 91:11; 1 Kings 19:5-7; Daniel 6:20-23; and 12:1.
Acts 12:15 is an unusual passage, in that we read of believers who mistook Peter himself for “his angel”. It’s possible that Luke is only describing their belief without himself endorsing it. Others argue that he intends to teach that each of us not only has a guardian angel but also that the latter may assume our physical characteristics. Yes, it seems odd, but why else would they have concluded that the “person” at the door was Peter’s angel and not someone/something else?
Matthew 18:10 is especially interesting. There Jesus warns against the neglect of little children and reminds his disciples that “their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” An ancient custom prevailed in eastern court settings according to which those who stood "before the king" or were allowed to "see his face" were officers who enjoyed the king's special favor and were privileged to enjoy the closest possible fellowship. The implication may be that the highest ranking angels are assigned and commissioned by God to watch over with loving care his "little ones". Thus Jesus is saying, "Don't despise my 'little ones,' for they are so highly regarded that God has appointed his most illustrious angels to keep watch over them."
Their continual presence before God, beholding his face, may mean one of two things: a) it may be a way of saying that our condition and needs are ever before God; He is always and ever alert to our situation in life; or b) their constant presence before him is for the purpose of quickly responding to whatever tasks God may assign them in their ministry to us. (One might be tempted to ask: If these angels “continually” stand before the face of God in heaven, how can they serve as daily or continual “guardians” of people on earth?)”
The main problem that most people have immediately after hearing this view is that it doesn’t seem to make sense why the letter would be addressed to the guardian angel rather than directly to the congregation itself. What possible purpose would it serve? The answer to that question is certainly a difficult one to answer. Let’s now look at the fourth and final view, which I will admit up front, has captured my attention more than any of the other possibilities. I will share why in a few moments.
D. (View #4) Angel = “the ‘spirit’ or ‘ethos’ of the church”
This fourth view (to say the least) is a very compelling one. Whether or not it is the right view may never be proved, nonetheless there are elements of the view that I believe go well beyond “fascinating” or “compelling”. As I have studied this long and hard, I would consider this view “revealing” of the dynamic found in churches across the globe. Walter Winks describes this fourth view like this:
“It would appear that the angel is not something separate from the congregation, but must somehow represent it as a totality. Through the angel, the community seems to step forth as a single collective entity. But the fact that the angel is actually addressed suggests that it is more than a mere personification of the church, but the actual spirituality of the church as a single entity. The angel would then exist in, with, and under the material expressions of the church’s life as its interiority. As the corporate personality or felt sense of the whole, the angel of the church would have no separate existence apart from the people. But the converse would be equally true: the people would have no unity apart from the angel.”
Now, I must confess that at first glance this may seem a little “out there”, but the more I have given this view a fair reading the more I’m convinced of its probability. Let me quote from Sam Storms again:
“A more likely option points to the fact that in Revelation 1:11 (cf. 1:4) the letters are directed to “the churches” (plural). So also at the end of each letter we read: “Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Thus the Lord speaks to the whole church and not just to an “angel”. This leads some to conclude that the angel IS the church, i.e., a personification of the church. The Greek text would certainly allow (but by no means require) this interpretation, in which case we would translate: ‘to the angel which is the church in Ephesus’.”
I suppose the reason why I feel so strongly about this view is because regardless of whether or not this view is the correct one (in the sense of whether this is the actual interpretation of the “angel” being addressed) it still holds a great deal of truth based on the fact that the churches in Asia are addressed (commended, rebuked, warned, encouraged, commanded) as a whole entity. And it’s not so much in the physical realm, but rather on the spiritual realm… which makes the application to this theory trustworthy regardless of interpreting “angel” correctly.
In his book, Seven Deadly Spirits, T. Scott Daniels observes the following:
“If this understanding of the angels of the churches is indeed proper, then John’s use of this terminology demonstrates that he has recognized a profound reality within the lives of the churches (I would add “or God has revealed this reality to him). John perceives that there is a “spirit” of each congregation that is more than simply the sum of its parts. In this view, the angel is a kind of corporate personality created and formed by the members of the church and the surrounding culture but now operating in such a way that it in turn shapes, reinforces, and holds the collective life of that congregation in its grasp.
I want to argue that churches have corporate personalities or systemic spirits that are formed out of the mixture of all their parts, both personal and cultural. That corporate identity takes on a life of its own and shapes the attitude, spiritual climate, and future trajectory of that church. Although this spirit or ethos is dependent on the members of the church for its life – for they birthed it into existence - this angel has now emerged in such a way that it influences and shapes the corporate life of the church for good or for evil. In this way Paul is correct: “Our battle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, but against … the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12).
Therefore, real change must take place in the church not simply by altering the visible structures of the institution, such as changing pastoral staff, instituting new programs, or modifying the style of worship, but by altering the spirit or the core essence of the entity as a whole. I want to be very clear: those who would seek to change the church must change things that are seen. The deadly spirits cannot be changed without the people, structures, and methods of the church changing, but I am convinced that the genius of the letters in Revelation is John’s underlying recognition that complete change cannot occur without naming, describing, and calling to account the collective spirit of the church.”
I understand that it could be very easy to take this theory to the extreme (which some have done in my opinion) and begin to almost blame the ‘spirit’ and not the individual members that make up “the spirit of the church”. Certainly, I do not think we should look any further than within our own self as individuals. No amount of change will occur until we have all searched our own heart and soul… that is how true revival happens – not through shifting blame to some ‘spirit’. I think that the main point to this theory is simply the recognition that there IS, in fact, a ‘spirit’ to each church. I think each and every one of you knows what I am talking about, too. We have all, no doubt, been in countless churches and have sensed (to one degree or another – depending on how long you attended the church) a pervasive “attitude” or “spirit” encompassing the church.
I can honestly say that I have heard HUNDREDS of times someone ask (in different meetings or get-togethers with pastors outside our church) “how’s the spirit of your church?” I’ve also heard a pastor respond to a similarly-asked question by saying, “I’ve really sensed a unifying spirit in our church over the past several months” or something like that. Now, I don’t believe any of these pastors are giving any thought to the things I’ve proposed about the “angel” in Revelation 2 and 3, but I think it proves a universal point that pastors sense in their congregation a “temperament”, “attitude”, “personality” or “spirit” that sort of defines where they are at as a church spiritually-speaking.
I actually HATE to think that this concept is true. Why? Because it is a whole lot easier to identify something more tangible (example: more than half the church believes that eternal salvation comes through doing good deeds) and deal with it, rather than try to identify an “attitude” that exists throughout the church as a whole. I mean, if Pastor Dave preaches heresy week in and week out for the next 6 months than the solution is simple – get a new pastor. If Pastor Mark decides for the next 6 months that the best way for our church to worship God in song is through singing songs that have nothing to do with God or the Bible because this will somehow give us a better appreciation for God and His Word than (again) the solution is simple – get a new worship pastor. If I decide, as the youth pastor, that the best thing for our teens is to have them experiment with different addictive sins so that they can get a handle on what’s out there in the real world, than (once again) the solution is simple – get a new youth pastor.
However, if the solution to the church’s problem is identifying its ‘spirit’ and then working on how to change it – that is whole lot more difficult! But that is exactly what Jesus is asking in Revelation 2 and 3. You might say, “Where do you find Jesus asking this of the church? The answer is simple – in Revelation. Who tells John what to actually write to the seven churches that are in Asia? Answer: Revelation 1:10-13 “I (John) was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, ‘Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches’ … Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man.” Jesus Christ Himself is the one addressing the churches.
So the next logical question that should come to your mind is: “What did Jesus identify as the ‘spirits’ of the churches in Asia?” The next question that should immediately follow is: “Can and should these identifications be applied to churches today?” The third question that should logically be asked is “If the answer to question 2 is yes …which ‘spirit’ do we have in our church?” The fourth and final question that should follow is “What then is the solution (if applicable) for correcting the ‘spirit’ that permeates Cross Lanes Bible Church?”
Let’s take these questions one at a time as I try to bring this message to a close.
II. Four Questions Every Church Should Ask
A. What did Jesus identify as the ‘spirits’ of the churches in Asia?
My intention is not to go into even the slightest degree of detail with any of these churches, but rather to give a very brief description of what Jesus saw in each of these churches. The ‘spirits’ that I am about to mention are not actual names of the identified ‘spirits’ (obviously), but simply a name that I feel fits the description that is given for each of these churches. Certainly, there are many other names that would carry the same basic idea, but these are the names that I feel best describe what is taking place in each of these churches
1.) Church at Ephesus - Spirit of Rigidness. This is a church that, in the midst of standing for what was right, had lost their love for God, for each other and for the lost.
2.) Church at Smyrna - Spirit of Faithfulness. This is a church that stood faithful in the midst of great persecution and tribulation. They stayed committed to God and to the church even when things were not very convenient for them (to say the least).
3.) Church at Pergamum - Spirit of Worldliness. This is a church that struggled with hanging on to false teachings that surrounded them. It is very possible that they didn’t actually claim to believe these false teachings, but their deeds would say differently.
4.) Church at Thyatira - Spirit of Tolerance. This is a church that was far too tolerant when it came to sin. It is one thing to love sinners and invite them to come to church to hear the Gospel, but it is quite another to accept their behavior to the extent of turning a blind eye to the clear teachings of Scripture.
5.) Church at Sardis - Spirit of Deadness. Another good word to describe this church would be “apathetic”. With the exception of just a handful of members, this church had the appearance (from man’s perspective) of being very much alive, yet from Christ’s perspective they were dead. It’s a sobering thought indeed to think that we can see ourselves completely different than how Christ sees us.
6.) Church at Philadelphia - Spirit of Overcoming. There is the old saying “when life throws you a lemon, make some lemonade”. That familiar phrase is a good summary of this church. They faced one obstacle after another, yet they faithfully overcame every time. They may not have been mighty in number, but they had a powerful impact on their city.
7.) Church at Laodicea - Spirit of Arrogance. A couple other good names for this ‘spirit’ would be ‘self-sufficiency’ or ‘lukewarm’ (a name commonly referring to this church). Sadly, this church looked to themselves for all the answers, rather than turning to God for guidance. Not only were they lukewarm and arrogant, but they were also rebuked for being self-deceived. Truly, this church had some major issues.
So the question must be asked … “Can and should these identifications somehow carry over to churches today?” Let’s take a brief look.
B. Can and should these identifications be applied to churches today?
Again, without going into great detail let me simply say that it is quite clear that these ‘spirits’ are specifically addressing the seven churches that are in Asia. But just like the entire Bible … it can and should have a broader application. If no application can be made we will find it difficult to see the relevance or the purpose for this piece of Scripture. As II Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Another specific reason many scholars believe these identifications are for the local church today is because of the number seven. As probably all of you know, seven is the number of completion in the Bible. Specifically, in the book of Revelation you find the number seven over and over again (to be exact – 54 times) You have seven angels, seven churches, seven spirits, seven signs, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls, seven stars, and seven lampstands to name a few of the “sevens” in just the book of Revelation. In the Bible you will find “seven” used over 700 times. It symbolizes perfection and completeness. Now why do I say all of that? To be sure (as I have already stated) the seven churches of Asia were the direct recipients of John’s revelation. But I don’t believe it is far-fetched to assume that these seven churches were chosen for more than one reason. Could it be that these seven churches serve as a representation of what all churches struggle with? Here is what John Walvoord had to say in his book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ:
“There has been some debate concerning the theological significance of these seven churches. It is obvious, as there were many churches located in the area where these churches were found, that God divinely selected seven and seven only, and did not send messages to other churches that conceivably might have been more important. Swete states that ‘there were from five hundred to one thousand townships in the province of Asia in the first century, some of them far larger than the cities of Thyatira and Philadelphia, and undoubtedly a number of them had Christian churches.’ He suggests that ‘the answer to the problem of selection is found in the geographical location of the seven churches in the form of a gentle arch and located on a circular road connecting the most populous part of the providence. The messages directed to these seven churches should therefore be considered as sent to the rest of the province and other churches as well’.”
Walvoord continues by stating, “It is understandable that the number of churches should be limited to seven as this is the number of completeness or universality in the Scripture, but there undoubtedly were other principles which determined the selection. First of all, each church needed a particular message, and the spiritual state of each church corresponded precisely to the exhortation which was given. The selection of the churches was also governed by the fact that each church was in some way normative and illustrated conditions common in local churches at that time as well as throughout later history. The messages to the seven churches therefore embody admonition suitable for churches in many types of spiritual need. Along with the messages to the churches were exhortations which are personal in character constituting instruction and warning to the individual Christian. Each of the messages as given to the churches therefore ends in a personal exhortation beginning with the phrase ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear’.”
There are many other scholars out there who would take the significance of the seven churches one step further by stating that they represent the chronological development of church history as one would view them spiritually. They would point out the similarities of the church at Ephesus (the first church mentioned) to the early church period and would look at each church successively and note similarities to that church and what the local church looked like through the centuries keeping everything in sequential order. Woolvard doesn’t completely buy into this theory, (nor do I) but does make the following statement: “It would seem almost incredible that such a progression should be a pure accident, and the order of the messages to the churches seems to be divinely selected to give prophetically the main movement of church history.”
Regardless of how far you decide to take the significance of the seven churches, it seems more than reasonable to conclude that the messages given to each of these churches should weigh heavily on the mind and heart of each believer in the local church today as it appears Jesus is speaking directly to us as much as He is to the seven churches in Asia.
C. Which ‘spirit’ do we have in our church?
Now, I don’t want to come across as a prophet or as someone who claims to be able to read minds or (in this instance) read churches. And I also believe it is not my role as an assistant pastor to discern which church in Asia best represents our church.
I will say that I believe the majority of churches today will find themselves, no doubt, in a combination of these seven churches. Certainly, some churches will identify almost exclusively with one of the seven churches, but most will identify with two, three or more of the churches. What is neat (I think) is that due to the divine nature of the choosing of these specific seven churches by our Lord, it seems certain that EVERY church today IS represented in some shape, way or form with one or more of these seven churches. I find this truth very exciting and encouraging for all of us as we seek to be sensitive to the “fiber” in our church.
D. What is the solution for correcting the ‘spirit’ at Cross Lanes Bible Church?
It is interesting to note the counsel that is given repeatedly to the churches where Christ had “something against them”. What was the counsel? Keep in mind that only five of the seven churches received rebuke. In every instance, the counsel can be summed up in one word – REPENT!
To the church at Ephesus, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.”
To the church at Pergamum, “So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent.”
To the church at Thyatira, “Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works.”
To the church at Sardis, “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.”
To the church at Laodicea, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”
Conclusion:
So the solution for any church that finds itself identifying with one or more of the five churches that received correction is to repent. It’s that simple! It’s the same message we find in the Bible from cover to cover. God is not interested in anything we can offer him if we are not first willing to repent. So often we look for solutions to our problems through perfecting the things we are already doing well. Perhaps we try to make a slight adjustment here or a small alteration there, and yet we completely neglect the area that needs the most attention. I certainly find it more enjoyable to work on the things I’m already doing well as opposed to repenting of the things that I’m doing totally wrong. Our tendency is to believe those areas don’t really exist.
The terrifying message for the church today, however, is that God’s patience will eventually run out. Phrases like “I will remove your lampstand”, “I will war against them with the sword of my mouth”, “I will give to each one according to his works”, “ I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you”, and “I will spit you out of my mouth” are what churches will have to deal with if they choose not to deal with their sin first.
May the heartbeat of our church be such that each of us echoes the cry of David in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
“The Ditch-Driven Church” By Donny Varney Revelation 2:1-7; 18-29
Proposition: It is possible for a church to focus so much on something right that it results in something wrong.
Introduction:
I am sure this title has fascinated many of you and you are probably trying to guess where I am going with the message today. Obviously, The Purpose-Driven Life along with The Purpose-Driven Church have encouraged many writers and pastors to branch off and write their own “Fill-in-the-Blank Driven Church” book. My purpose in this message has absolutely nothing to do with Rick Warren or with any of the books he was written. Rather, I want to take a look at a couple churches that are addressed in Revelation 2 and try to make some connections that I feel will be very helpful and practical for all of us.
So what do I mean by “Ditch-Driven”? Allow me to share a personal story that will help explain. The wild and wonderful state of West Virginia (which I have lived in now for the past seven years) contains many roads that we would consider to be “off the beaten path”. Indeed, these “country roads” (as John Denver sings about) are curvy, hilly, bumpy, and worst-of-all NARROW. And by narrow, I don’t mean that it is difficult to have two-way traffic (even though it will be considered a two-way road) … I mean it is impossible to have two-way traffic.
After a while you become used to these “driving conditions” as you go from one back road to another leading to a seemingly endless string of roads that only gets narrower the further you go. I feel like a “driving pro” now … but not seven years ago. I recall very clearly during the first few months of living here being so overwhelmed by the narrowness of these “country roads”. One day in particular I found myself driving down one of these narrow roads on my way to see someone and lo and behold a car comes flying my way. To my right there was absolutely no shoulder (just a slight drop-off with a series of potholes. To my left (obviously) is about to be this car that is coming my way. I was so intent on not hitting the car to my left that I steered directly into the small ditch to my right. What was the result you might ask? Thankfully, just a flat tire and some car alignment issues, but no serious injury to me … just some bitterness about the narrow roads!
So why do I share that story? Because sadly it illustrates the approach many churches take when it comes to their overall philosophy of ministry. They are (what I am calling) ditch-driven! They are so focused (like I was in not hitting the car) on not being one thing that they end up being something equally as tragic (like going in the ditch). The solution to this problem is simply to stay on the road (even though it is narrow) and not be ditch-driven.
My message today has 4 parts. The first part deals with local churches in general. The second part deals with the church at Ephesus. The third part deals with the church at Thyatira. The fourth part deals with how to practically “stay on the road”.
The main purpose of this message is to look closely at two extremes (ditches) of ministry, which we find in the church at Ephesus and Thyatira. Both of these churches had something good about them, but they also had something bad about them. What we need in our church is the discernment to not drive off the edge on either side. In my humble opinion, the reason this message is so needed in the church today is because the churches that fall into these two ditches are sincere... but they are sincerely sinning! Before we get to Ephesus and Thyatira, let’s take a brief look at local churches in general.
I. Local Churches in General
Besides the “ditch-driven church”, in my seven years of ministry I have observed many different “driven” churches. Here
are a few, and yes – these names are all original with meJ .
I’ve seen the “niche-driven church”. This is the church that sees itself competing with other nearby local churches
and tragically tries to find its niche in the community by finding something unique about their church. Once they discover
what that niche is … they promote is like crazy and rally around that “identity” as the thing that defines them best.
I’ve seen the “stitch-driven church”. This is the church that has so many “issues” within the body itself that tragically all of the leadership’s focus and time and energy is spent trying to “stitch” or “repair” the problems that continue to arise. Of course, every church (if there’s people in it) is going to have problems to repair and mend… but I’m talking about the church that is not able to break free from these constant issues and “do the work of the ministry” beyond the “tyranny of the urgent”.
I’ve seen the “itch-driven church”. This is the church that is driven by the people’s agendas and “itches”. The leadership is
constantly bombarded by different people’s opinions and preferences in regards to matters such as worship, philosophy,
length of services, number of services, style of preaching, etc. Tragically, the leadership of a church that is “itch-driven” will
find themselves in a lose-lose situation, since it will be impossible to please everyone. Why? Because they all have different
itches that need scratched.
I’ve seen the “switch-driven church”. This is the church that is constantly trying to be “cutting edge” in their practices. This is a very appealing approach for the entertainment-minded individual or family looking for a church that the whole family will enjoy. That is precisely why it is so tempting to be driven this way. What I mean by “switch-driven” is that the church is constantly “switching” their philosophy of ministry in order to stay current with the times. Please, do not misunderstand me … I am a STRONG SUPPORTER of a church being as relevant as possible and being willing to adjust their methods of ministry. The tragedy comes when that church switches the message in order to keep their “cutting edge” image. It seems hard to believe that this could happen, but sadly it happens all too often as a church realizes that the unadjusted Gospel message is very offensive to many people.
I’ve seen the “rich-driven church”. This is the church that allows money to become a primary motivation for why they do what they do. Certainly, money plays a major role in the church in the sense that it is the physical means in which much of ministry is able to happen. The problem resides when the leadership of the church allows those with “money” to be put in places of influence in the church to a greater extent than those who may be more spiritually mature. This is admittedly a difficult (in fact – impossible) one to judge since only God sees the heart and motivation for why we do what we do. Perhaps, it would be best for me to state that “I’ve seen what appears to be the rich-driven church”.
I suppose I could go on with other “driven” churches but it would go beyond the purpose of this message. The point I am making is that is can be very easy for a church to be driven in a direction that it shouldn’t go. For now, I would like us to turn our attention for a moment to the church at Ephesus.
II. The Ditch-Driven Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7)
Let’s turn to Revelation 2:1-7. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place-- unless you repent. 'Yet this you do 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 grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.'
So we find here in the church at Ephesus some good things and some bad things. On the good side – they have a hatred for evil and they are vigilant in their stand against the deceptive false apostles. They are also commended for their perseverance. I think it is safe to say that this is a church that stood strong against that which was morally bad as well as that which was theologically in error.
On the bad side, however – they are rebuked for “losing their first love”. About thirty years earlier, Paul had written this same church a letter where he said, “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers. So it is clear that this church once knew what it was like to love as they ought. But now an entirely different generation has come on the scene and somehow over the years they had lost that love that they once had.
What I would like to bring to our attention is the fact that churches that are strong in their devotion to “abhorring evil” are often weak in their love for others. This is something that I have not gotten over as I have meditated on this church. This is a church that is sincerely holding the line on theological truth and the rejection of evil practices, but in the process of being sincere … they sincerely sinned! This is what I am referring to when I say that they are “ditch-driven”. They were steering so strong in the direction of theological truth and rejecting evil (good things) that they drove right into the ditch of “no love”.
Let’s now take a look at the other extreme for a moment.
III. The Ditch-Driven Church at Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-19)
Now let’s read Revelation 2:18-29. "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 'And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 'Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 'And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them-- I place no other burden on you. 'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’.”
It is remarkable (to me, at least) to see the opposites in Ephesus and Thyatira. Ephesus was strong in their devotion to “abhorring evil” and weak in their love for others. But Thyatira was weak in their devotion to “abhorring evil” and strong in their love for others. As a matter of fact, Thyatira is the only church of the seven that is commended for their love. How significant is that? If anything, it should make us realize that this was something that Thyatira must have done really well or it would not have been mentioned. Perhaps some of the other churches (certainly Philadelphia) had the right kind of love in their church, but Thyatira is the only church that gets commended for it. Truly, this is a church that stands as an example to all churches in the area of love.
Another opposite that we find in these two churches has to do with their “progression”. While Ephesus is rebuked for taking steps backward in their deeds for God (“you have lost your first love), Thyatira is commended for taking steps forward (“I know your deeds of late are greater than at first.”). This is a church that is obviously not perfect (as we will see in a moment), but is viewed as taking steps in the right direction. Whereas, the church in Ephesus is viewed as taking steps in the wrong direction. Both churches had good qualities. Both churches had bad qualities. But one church was moving forward and the other was moving backward. I think this is significant.
Although Thyatira was taking steps in the right direction, they definitely had some issues. Sam Storms has this to say:
It is tragic, however, after having read of the splendid qualities in Thyatira, to read farther and discover that moral compromise was present in the church. As Stott said,
“In that fair field a poisonous weed was being allowed to luxuriate. In that healthy body a malignant cancer had begun to form. An enemy was being harbored in the midst of the fellowship”.
To figure out what the problem was for the church at Thyatira requires a proper understanding of who “Jezebel” was. The fact that Jezebel (or a reference to her) is mentioned 10 times in just a few verses only reinforces the reality that she is playing a substantial role (negatively) in the church at Thyatira. Storms gives us a few suggestions as to her identity:
(1) Those who find in the seven letters a prophetic outline of the history of the church seek to identify the church of Thyatira with the Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages. One commentator has made this interesting link:
“During this period (i.e., the Middle Ages) also there began that exaltation of Mary the mother of our Lord which has tended to exalt her to the plane of a female deity through whom intercession to God should be made, and apart from whose favor there can be no salvation. The prominence of a woman prophetess in the church at Thyatira anticipates the prominence of this unscriptural exaltation of Mary”
(2) Others have suggested that Jezebel is none other than Lydia herself, who, if it were true, had badly fallen from the initial spiritual heights that we read about in Acts 16.
(3) A few Greek manuscripts include the possessive pronoun “your” (or “thy”), on the basis of which it is argued that Jezebel was the wife of the senior pastor in Thyatira! But even if the pronoun is original, it probably refers to the corporate church in Thyatira since the preceding four uses of the singular “your” in vv. 19-20 clearly do so.
(4) Jezebel may be a veiled reference to the pagan prophetess Sibyl Sambathe, for whom a shrine had been built just outside the walls of the city. Such is doubtful, however, and for two reasons: first, she is spoken of in rather definite terms, implying that a distinct historical personality is in mind and not merely a shrine to a pagan goddess; and second, the text suggests that the individual was actually a member of the church (externally, at any rate) of Thyatira and under the jurisdiction and authority of its leaders.
(5) The most likely interpretation is that, in view of the opportunity granted to her for repentance, Jezebel was a female member of the church who was promoting destructive heresies and leading many into moral compromise. [By the way, note that Jesus envisions the possibility of his own “bond-servants” committing these horrific sins. What theological conclusions might one draw from this?] She was a real person, but the name “Jezebel” is probably symbolic. Note the parallel in the letter to Pergamum in which the Nicolaitans are subsumed under the name of an OT figure: Balaam. The name “Jezebel” had, in fact, become proverbial for wickedness. Thus, what is meant is that this disreputable, so-called “prophetess” was as wicked and dangerous an influence in Thyatira as ‘Jezebel’ had been to Israel in the OT. Note also that she “calls herself a prophetess” (v. 20). It’s uncertain whether this was merely her own claim or she actually had a “prophetic” gift.
The bottom line for the church at Thyatira is that a great number of the people in the church had become too tolerant of blatant wickedness in their midst. This can easily happen to any church who is trying to reach out to people in their community. The church at Thyatira (just like Ephesus) was sincere. But they were sincerely sinning! In their passionate pursuit to show the love of Christ to virtually anyone and everyone who would step in their door, they steered right into the ditch of being too tolerant.
IV. Staying on the Road
As we bring this message to a close, I would like to leave you with one final thought to ponder. And that thought is this: How can Cross Lanes Bible Church avoid driving into ditches? How can we be a church that is characterized by love AND vigilance? How can we be a church that is tough AND tender? How can we be a church that is full of truth AND grace? I think part of the answer has to do with our mindset as we approach ministry. Going back to my opening illustration …so often we get caught up in how good it is to avoid getting hit by a car that we don’t see the bad in driving into the ditch. In other words, we get so sincerely caught up in the good things we are doing as a church that we don’t see the “badness” that comes when we push the “good” to the extreme.
Let me try to give a practical example. We would probably all say that it is good for a church to do everything they possibly can (within Biblical parameters) to evangelize the lost and bring them into the church. In fact, we would probably all agree that if a church is not doing this, that they are not fulfilling one of the basic purposes for the church. So evangelizing the lost is a “good” thing. Now let me ask you a question. Is it possible for a church to get so caught up in bringing lost people into their church that they neglect some other very important purpose of the church? Let’s take for example: discipleship. I think the answer is a definite “yes”. A church (in a unifying effort) could spend all their resources, time and energy on bringing people into the church and in the process they end up steering right into the ditch of tolerance. How can this happen? Simple. They don’t have time to focus on what’s going on inside the church because they are so wrapped up in reaching out to the community that is outside. Are they sincere in reaching out to the lost? Yes! Are they right for reaching out to the lost? Yes! But are they sinning by neglecting to disciple those inside the church? Yes!
The opposite can be true just as easily. A church could get so wrapped up with things taking place within the church that they totally neglect what is happening on the outside.
Conclusion:
We must seek to be a church that stays on the road. We don’t want to get hit by oncoming cars seemingly come right at us. But we also don’t want to drive into any ditches. We have to find symmetry in everything we do. We must be a well-proportioned church. We need to seek balance in our practices.
I guess the point I am trying to make is that it is possible for a church to do so much “right” in one area that it becomes wrong. I’m not saying that the “right” thing we are doing is wrong, but rather the outcome from only doing that “right” thing becomes wrong. The book of James is a great book in the Bible, but if Pastor Dave preaches on it for the next 25 years there is something wrong. Why? It’s not because there is something wrong with the book of James. It’s because of what is “right” in the other books of the Bible that are getting neglected.
As a church, we must never operate out of fear of driving into a ditch. Because inevitably what will happen is we’ll get so fixated on avoiding a particular “ditch” that we will drive right into the other ditch on the other side of the road. This is the message of Ephesus and Thyatira (at least one of the messages – there are others!). These were churches that had some good things going for them and they had some bad things. The majority of churches today can identify with that. But they both had the same overriding problem… they were ditch-driven.
One final way to meditate on the truth I am presenting is found in I Corinthians 12:12-27.
“For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.”
Cross Lanes Bible Church is likened to a body. We can’t be a foot-driven church. We can’t be an ear-driven church. We must recognize that Christ calls us to be one unified body heading in the same direction, but doing a thousand different things. It’s the beautiful paradox concerning the dynamic of the local church. It’s simple, yet complex. It’s one body, yet many parts. It’s one church, but many members. It’s one road, but many ditches. We must stay on the road!