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Home , Revelation 3

TO THE ONE WHO CONQUERS, Part II

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Revelation 2:18-3:22

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P.C. Edwards

Introduction

Do you ever have one of those moments when you’re arguing with someone and the response pops into your brain of what to say, but then you’re like, ‘No, don’t say that. Please don’t say that,’ because you know that what you’re about to say will not only do no good, but it’ll probably make things worse? Like I don’t know if I’m in the minority on this one but I’m pretty analytic and calculating when it comes to conflict or confrontation. It’s like I’m almost doing the math in my head figuring out ‘Do I say this thing or not? Do I bring this up or not?’

And doing this helps me to remain calm, in most situations to not let me emotions get the best of me and just navigate my way to peaceful resolution.

I pride myself on being a pretty introspective, self-aware person. I know my faults, my shortcomings and opportunities, because I spend a lot of time in my head. (It can be exhausting)

You know and there are pros and cons to it. I’ve been told that I can seem stand-offish and not approachable. Sometimes I have to remind myself to give words and signs of affirmation because, you know, even though I’m thinking it, no one else knows what I’m thinking.

But I think we all fall somewhere on this spectrum of self-awareness to self-delusion, and even within that we can be pretty understanding of ourselves overall and still have blind spots.

That’s why Christian community is so important, to have brothers and sisters to speak into our lives. But you’ve got to want that. You’ve got to desire to better understand yourself and grow.

Right? I mean I know it can be hard work and at times painful, and so you have to be intentional at recognizing, ‘Hey, I know I’m not a finished product; I know I still need to grow.’ We have to pray the prayer of ,

Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults, (Psalm 19:12).

P.C. Edwards 1 The issue I see today both in the church and culture at large, though, is just that we don’t want to. Whether rooted in self-righteousness or laziness or fear, we resist taking good hard looks in the mirror. But as we talked about last week, diagnosing the problems is essential for finding the cure. That’s what this passage really does in the context of the ; it’s sets up everything that will follow. All the warnings, all the promises, all the exhortations and corrections which will fill the pages to come are meant for these seven churches. Yes, they are meant for us as well but only so far as we see ourselves as a part of the seven churches. And so, as we did last week in the first half of this passage, we explore four churches this morning that in them we would see that We are more than conquerors in the reign and authority of

Christ, who was, is to come, and is present now in the midst of the church.

1. Pursues truth and purity in the whole life of the church 2:18-29

First, we see in the church at that The one who conquers pursues truth and purity in the whole life of the church. Once again, the self-portrayal of Jesus tells us a lot about the church to whom He speaks. He describes Himself as, “The Son of God, the one whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like fine bronze,” (:18). Eyes here are important, because they carry the connotation of being able to see the truth and reality of the situation. You see, even though the Thyatirans do works of love and service, there’s a problem,

“You tolerate the woman , who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols,” (Revelation 2:20).

The point is that Jesus looks beyond their outward appearance and sees the heart of false worship that is being tolerated, if not promoted, in the church. What you have hear is almost the opposite of the Ephesian church. They have strong love but not doctrinal purity. Now, it’s not

P.C. Edwards 2 that the whole church has succumb to false doctrine, but they allow false doctrine to go unchecked.

Jesus refers to the leader of this deviant group as “Jezebel” (1 Kings 16:31, 19:1-2, 21:5-

26; 2 Kings 9:30-37). And it’s important that we properly define this characterization, as recently we’ve seen some “Christian” leaders use this term in a racist, sexist way toward the Vice

President. That’s not the usage here. You see, just as the ancient queen had led God’s people into idolatry and wickedness, so too this woman in Revelation 2 has led many of the Thyatiran

Christians into idolatry and sexual immorality. From verse 20 and also from what we know from other sources from the 1st century, it would seem that the core of “Jezebel’s” teaching was based on an appeal to secret knowledge, was used to justify sin. In other words, she said something like, ‘Here, yes there is the but I have additional truth which helps clarify things in the

Bible. What you should really believe and do is this.’ This is just like what Mormonism has done, appealing to “another testament of Jesus ,” or dogmatic Roman Catholicism, which argues that only the Pope can give the right interpretation of Scripture.

Of course, as we’ll talk about in a second, we have our own versions of this in American

Evangelical . But for the Thyatirans what this came down to was the belief that one can follow Christ and engage in pagan practices. This false teaching created a way of joining the church without having to forsake any friendships or activities in civic life. And so, to get the church’s attention Jesus says He will physically humble her, which should be a warning to those who follow her teaching. Jesus reminds them that He is sovereign over all and those who powerless will share in His authority, quoting from Psalm 2:9. The message is that your identity and significance are found in Christ, not in society.

P.C. Edwards 3 And so, what we see in Thyatira is not the threat of physical persecution or economic persecution. By all accounts the Thyatirans weren’t tempted to compromise their faith out of fear of prison or death or poverty. They just wanted, it seems, to be in the church but still get to live however they wanted. They wanted to be Christians but also to go and get drunk whenever they wanted and sleep around and participate in the pagan parties of the culture around them. It just came down to wanting to be both in the church and of the world.

Oh and how this continues to be a major temptation for the church today! For some we want to be Christians but we see the “fun” that friends and acquaintances are having at parties and we figure what’s the harm to go out and over-drink, maybe even hook up with someone. Or we see how others are buying new cars or new clothes and we think, ‘Well that’s what I want to do too with my money, doesn’t matter if I can actually afford it or not, or if that’s a wise use of my money, it’s just what I see and what I want.’ We do this with our time, maybe we stay out too late or stay up watching T.V. on Saturday night and, therefore, we’re too tired to go to corporate worship on Sunday mornings, or we’re here yawning and struggling to stay awake; we choose to go hunting or to a ball game rather than gather with our family of faith. There are all sorts of ways that we demonstrate trying to be both in the church and of the world and Jesus here warns us of the result of this compromise. May we overcome; may we conquer.

2. Humbly abides in the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit 3:1-6

Next, as we journey to we see that The one who conquers humbly abides in the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. Now Sardis as a city had a fascinating story and collective psyche. You see, the city prided itself as invincible, securely sitting at the top of a steep hill.

Except twice it had been suddenly conquered by outside forces. They had learned that no city is truly without vulnerability.

P.C. Edwards 4 Likewise, the church at Sardis had a reputation for being alive, being healthy and well- fortified, and yet Jesus says they are dead. They think they’re all good to go; Jesus says, ‘Eh, not so much.’ And yet, He also says they can be revived back to life because a few are faithful. The problem is their ignorance of their true condition. They thought they were one way when they were actually another. Like Thyatira, they are likely living in an inoffensive way to the community around them. Essentially, they are blending in, which is a problem for any church of

Christ! They lack the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit.

Right, get this. When Jesus calls them dead that doesn’t mean we can assume they were boring or their corporate gatherings were uninspired. And I get why that may be our initial thought because often when we describe a church as dead you and I probably think that means low attendance, boring music, lackluster preaching. We think those things because that’s how we measure success. Which church has the highest attendance? The best music in the style we prefer? Which pastor is funniest and most inspiring? But that’s not what defines life and death in

Bible. Sardis very likely had a large congregation, because it seems being a Christian there was easy. Their corporate gatherings were probably pretty comfortable, because they didn’t rock the boat. My point is that they had all the appearances of being alive, but the Spirit wasn’t with them.

Whether it was that they had compromised the practice of their faith with the culture around them or they had just gotten complacent in their faith, going through the motions, the church at Sardis was spiritually dead. Thus, Jesus says, “Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you,” (Revelation 3:3). They seem to have lost touch with the reality that Christ will come back soon, like a thief in the night. Just as the city had been

P.C. Edwards 5 suddenly destroyed when no one was ready, the same will happen to them if they do not repent and return to the Lord.

This ought to resonate with us just two months removed from Advent. Right, we begin each church year in a season of self-reflection, examination, and repentance reminding ourselves of the imminent return of King Jesus. Because when we really do believe He is coming back, that He could come back at any time, then we’ll live differently. I’ll fight temptations to sin harder; I’ll be more vocal and bolder in sharing my faith with others; I’ll invest more in my children to be sure my whole family is ready; I’ll use my money more toward Kingdom building rather than my own lavish living.

And listen, there’s a lot more to flesh out concerning Sardis and the church today; be sure to check out this afternoon’s post-game show on Facebook where we’ll do just that. But what we see this morning is that the one who conquers, whose name is written in the , whom

Jesus joyfully acknowledges before the Father seeks to humbly abide not in their own wisdom or desires, but the one who conquers and the church who conquers abides in the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. May we overcome; may we conquer.

3. Finds hope for today in the everlasting promises of the true King 3:7-13

Now, whereas both Thyatira and Sardis were enjoying peaceful situations from a worldly perspective, it was not so in Philadelphia. And interestingly, Jesus offers no rebuke of this church. Just like , He only has words of comfort and encouragement. I say “interestingly” because it’s at least strikes me as “noteworthy”, let’s say, that the two churches under overt persecution appear to be the healthies churches that Jesus addresses.

You see, I look at the American church and I look at the, frankly, insignificant issues that divide us, I look at our failure to live on mission, I look at how many have embraced heresies

P.C. Edwards 6 like the prosperity gospel or Christian nationalism and then I look at just how opulently we live. I look at how easy it still is to be a Christian in the U.S. I look at all the peace we still enjoy and it seems to me, at least, that there is a correlation between our comfy situation and our general unhealthiness. We have it easy and that easiness has made us lazy and complacent, just like

Thyatira and Sardis.

And so, consider the example of the Philadelphians who demonstrate to us that The one who conquers finds hope for today in the everlasting promises of the true King. Our hope isn’t in our income, our neighborhood, our social standing, our relationships and sexual choices, but in

Jesus and His promises. That’s why Jesus addresses Himself as, “the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens,” (Revelation 3:7). Again, this is not just a powerful theological statement, but a political statement as well. Calling Christ, the Holy One, the true one, contrasts him with earthly rulers and the emperor.

Of course, balancing our trust in the true King with those who rule over us in the City of

Man requires wisdom and prudence. In other words, there might be times when we are tempted to think our earthly rulers are in line with Christ and, thus, to be trusted and followed accordingly. This was certainly a temptation in the 1st century throughout the Roman Empire. By the populace Caesar was regarded as divine; in other words, god and the ruler were one and the same. And many 1st century Christians would have been tempted to modify and accept this truth as well. Maybe not equate Caesar and Christ, but to elevate and even venerate Caesar, to do so because it made life easier or because they just really believed Caesar deserved it. Certainly, this practice has continued on throughout the centuries into our day today. In America, on both sides of the aisle we’ve seen presidents, for example, held up and regard in nearly messianic lights.

P.C. Edwards 7 And so, the responsibility is on us, that while trying to live as peaceful, good citizens of our nations we also continually, in prayer, ensure that we keep a right perspective on who is Christ and who is not.

You see, Jesus emphasizes this fact to the Philadelphians so that in their present persecutions and in their temptations to despair, hopelessness, and, ultimately, forsaking Christ they would know where to anchor their faith, where to put their trust. Jesus says He has the key of David, a reference to :20-25. This was a messianic prophecy of the coming King’s power over even death itself. Right, these Philadelphians are being attacked, both verbally and physically, and so Jesus assures them that this is just a present situation, that there is everlasting peace, blessing, and glory in Him alone.

And clearly this is something they already know and practice and so He simply encourages them to continue on. These believers have been loyal to the Gospel even in the midst of persecution. They have endured it all because they know that followers of Christ should expect no less than what Christ Himself suffered. Thus, Christ promises, (1) To keep them from the hour of trial to come; in other words, He will protect them from worsening persecutions, (2)

To secure them and make them stable, to ensure their daily bread and provisions, and (3) To seal them in the family of God, to tell them they need not a single doubt or worry but their forever welfare is safe in the hands of God!

We’re going to have lots of time in this book to talk about the nature of persecution, suffering, and what we are to do with such warnings, but for now we need to simply ingest this promise. Christ is greater than anything this world can do and if we keep that promise at the forefronts of our minds and live it out daily we will overcome; we will conquer.

P.C. Edwards 8 4. Remains ever seeking and ever dependent on Christ and not self 3:14-22

Now the tone Jesus takes with the church at Laodicea differs dramatically. There is no commendation or words of praise for this church; only stern rebuke. Now Christ has already in this book identified Himself as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, but now He adds, “the originator of God’s creation,” (Revelation 3:14). The Greek word here is ἀρχὴ (archē), which can be translated also as beginning or ruler, but I think “originator” is a proper translation because it captures the fact that as the One by whom, through whom, and for whom everything was created, as the One who holds all things together, Jesus has created all things with a divine purpose and thus, rightly, expects all His creation to follow in that purpose.

Thus, we get this illustration of hot, cold, and lukewarm water. He says, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth,” (Revelation

3:15-16). This illustration was rooted in the very geography of the region. You see, nearby

Laodicea the town of Hierapolis enjoyed hot springs, which brought medicinally healing effects.

Also nearby, the town of Colossae enjoyed cold mountain springs, which brought refreshing drinking water. But in the city of Laodicea the water was undrinkable, thus they had to pipe in water from elsewhere.

And so, when Jesus tells the Laodiceans that He will spit them out, He’s drawing on the metaphor of water. It’s not that they should be only hot; its ok to be cold as well. But they are neither. They are just like the worthless, barley drinkable water that runs through their city. Thus, just as you want to spit out disgusting water, so too will Christ spit them out. Whereas, they find comfort and security in their wealth, they are poor from God’s perspective. He offers them true wealth and riches; true clothing to cover their shame, true eyes to see. He is the truth and they

P.C. Edwards 9 must heed what he says. Only in Him can they receive new life and participate in His new creation.

Essentially, again, we see a church that has become complacent, self-satisfied, and self- reliant. If Jesus’ words seem harsh, they are meant to be. Christ’s words are meant to be shocking and wake them up! I mean, put yourself in their shoes; imagine these words being spoken by Jesus directly to you and to this body. This message would have been very hard to take; it had the ability to almost be demoralizing. What chance or hope do we have. But Jesus’ purpose isn’t to beat them down and leave them there, but to set them a right!

And so, Christ reminds them of His love and His motivation to have fellowship with them. He says all of this to them for their benefit, for their good! Verse 19 echoes of Hebrews 12,

My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives.

Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:5b-7).

And so, as these words sting, and they should, realize that this is for our good.

You see, I doubt any of us this morning wants to place ourselves in the category and company of Laodicea or Sardis or Thyatira. We want to convince ourselves we’re ok; ok as individuals, ok as a church. And even when we can take inventory of ourselves we’re likely to deflect blame or make excuses. But friends we have lost that utter dependence upon Christ we once had. We’ve not been attacked like our forbearers in Philadelphia or Smyrna. No, we’ve been tempted and seductively lured away from the City of God back into , the City of

Man from which we were once redeemed. We’ve not said it with our words, but rather with our

P.C. Edwards 10 actions, our priorities, just like the Israelites in the desert who longed to return to bondage in

Egypt.

You see, we’re all the heroes in our own stories; we all believe ourselves to be the good guys. And so, when the average American Christian imagines the evil empire coming to attack them they are quick to assume it’ll be some foreign nation, Russia, China, the European Union; perhaps it’ll be some social movement or likely a political party; yeah, that’s our enemy! Little do we realize, little are we even capable of conceiving it, let alone admitting it, that we’ve been seduced, deceived, and thus joined in with the enemy, that is not defined by nationality, it’s not defined by borders, it’s not defined by political allegiance, but defined and rooted in the core rebellion of humanity to say ‘No’ to God and to set ourselves up in His place.

This book is not about how we can stockpile supplies and guns and prepare for the Secret

Police to come get us for not getting a tattoo on our forehead. It’s a call and encouragement to be centered, to re-center, around Jesus Christ alone. We are to behold the Lamb upon the throne, the

One who conquered evil, sin, and death in His own death and then overcame the grave when He rose from the dead. It is in Christ alone that we overcome; it is in Christ alone that we conquer.

The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God— the new , which comes down out of heaven from my God—and my new name. “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches (Revelation 3:12-13).

P.C. Edwards 11