Ears to Hear

The first sermon in our Ears to Hear series looking at the letters to the seven churches of Revelation. This week we look at the letter to the church in Ephesus, where God commends their endurance in the face of severe persecution, but rebukes them for their lack of love.

The letter to the church in Smyrna contains no correction or rebuke, only a warning of impending persecution and suffering. It stands as a reminder to us that as Christians we are not called to a life of comfort and ease, but of service and sacrifice.

In these two letters, Jesus is warning the churches of Pergamum and Thyatira to watch out for those among who are compromising their beliefs and tolerating sin in their lives. Jesus calls us to value sound, Biblical doctrine and to watch out for sin in our own lives and in the lives of those around us.

Are you alive? What would other people say? What would Jesus say? This letter to the church in Sardis points out the fact that many there appear to be believers, but the truth is that they are far from God.

In this passage, the letter to the church in Philadelphia (Asia minor, not Pennsylvania) we are told about a door that has been opened. Jesus has opened a door to salvation, which we should walk through ourselves and then bring as many people as we can through after us.

This week we ended our series by looking at the letter to the church in Laodicea. In what is probably the most famous of the letters, Jesus talks about how this church has become neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, making him sick. Although this is a strong rebuke we also see Jesus calling us to himself and being our best counselor.