Revelation 1:20 - Homiletics

The seven Churches.

It does not fall to our province to inquire into the reason why seven Churches only are here specified; nor do we enter into the symbolism of the number seven, nor burden ourselves with the inquiry whether these seven Churches are supposed to represent the whole of Christendom. These and other vexatoe questiones we leave for the student to ponder in his study. Hints for earnest pulpit teaching are alone our care. Historically, the seven Churches here specified did exist at the time of the Apostle John; they were not very far from each other, nor any of them at any great distance from the extreme western seaboard of Asia Minor. When studying the several letters to each Church, we shall endeavour to take note of what was peculiar to each. Here we note only some features that were common to them all.

I. THE SEVEN CHURCHES ARE SO MANY CENTRES OF LIGHT . "Seven golden candlesticks." Each Church is a light bearer. The change from the Hebrew symbol of a seven-branched candlestick to the Christian one of seven candlesticks is noteworthy. In the Mosaic dispensation the Jewish Church was but one, with a priesthood at its head. Now there is not merely a Church; there are Churches. As the late Dean Alford remarks, "Their mutual independence is complete. Their only union is in him who stands in the midst of them." £ Each of them, moreover, is a candlestick, or lamp stand. Churches exist as light bearers. Apart from this they have no raison d'etre. They receive their light from Christ the light of truth, that they may teach, guard, and extend it; the light of purity, that they may keep themselves unspotted from the world; the light of love, that they may gladden others therewith. Churches are the only institution in the world that exist solely for this purpose. Hence they are composed of those who are the highest part of God's creation on earth—of those who are "born again," who are "being saved." Note further that they are likened to golden candlesticks . We see by this figure how high a value God sets on the several Churches, which are to be the light bearers in their several localities.

II. THE SEVEN CHURCHES FIND THEIR CENTRE OF UNITY IN HIM WHO IS IN THE MIDST OF THEM . "In the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of man." In him they find their oneness. To him alone are they distinctly and severally responsible. It is quite possible to boast of a counterfeit independence. The independence of isolation, the independence of self will, and so on, have no warrant in the Word of God. There is no Church independence sanctioned by Scripture which means anything less, or anything else, than absolute loyalty to the Son of God, and responsibility to him alone. At the girdle of our great High Priest alone hang the seals of authority and power. On earth he has entrusted the keys of the kingdom to the entire body of believers as a Christian priesthood; and woe be to any Church which allows any earthly ruler to wrest them from its hands! The events of the day are forcing this principle to the front after it has been obscured for ages.

III. EACH CHURCH HAS ITS OWN EXCELLENCE , DEFECT , DANGER , AND DUTY . So we find it with Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea. Two only are unrebuked—Smyrna and Philadelphia. Thus the state of things in the entire Church of Christ may be compared to that in a vessel built in watertight compartments, where, though there may be a leakage in one part, the others may be sound. We see this in several Churches even now. One may be loyal to its Lord, and another not so. One may be losing its first love, and another may be all on fire. One may have a great reputation, and yet be dead. Another may be in poverty, and yet be rich in faith. One Church may be fast asleep, another may be abounding in every good work.

IV. THE SAVIOUR , IN THE MIDST OF THE CHURCHES , MANIFESTS HIMSELF TO EACH CHURCH ACCORDING TO ITS OWN SPIRITUAL STATE . To Ephesus, as "he that walketh in the midst"—to survey, to mark, to correct. To Smyrna, as "the Living One"—to give the crown of life. To Pergamos, as "he that hath the sharp sword"—to sever and to smite. To Thyatira, as "he whose eyes are like a flame of fire"—to see through and through, and to burn up evil. To Sardis, as "he that hath the seven Spirits of God"—to quicken the Church from death. To Philadelphia, as "he that hath the key of David"—to open to the faithful the temple of God. To Laodicea, as "the Faithful and True Witness"—to undeceive them in their sluggish conceit. Thus our Lord will be to his Churches according to what they are. And if there be a nominal Church which is not doing its Lord's work, it will certainly not have its existence prolonged for the sake of its own.

V. WHATEVER MAY BE A CHURCH 'S DIFFICULTIES , OUR LORD EXPECTS IT TO OVERCOME . Not one of the letters to the seven Churches gives us the slightest reason to suppose that the adverse force might be so strong that any Church whatever would be justified in succumbing to it. There is abundance of power, of love, and of faithfulness in Christ to sustain any Church under any trial whatsoever.

VI. ACCORDING TO A CHURCH 'S FIDELITY OR OTHERWISE , SO WILL BE ITS DESTINY . If unfaithful, the Church will be judged, chastised, and possibly swept away. If faithful, her Lord will set before her an open door, and no one can shut it. Note:

1 . Churches have nothing to fear except from their own sluggishness and inaptness to meet the demands of their age. No artificial help can, in the long run, perpetuate a dead Church; no artificial aid is needed for a living and faithful one.

2 . There must not only be an overcoming on the part of a Church if it is to be continued, but also a personal overcoming on the part of each individual, if he is ultimately to share his Lord's victory. Let us not forget that just as a Church may be dead though a few in it are alive, so individual souls may be dead even where, as a whole, the Church is alive. The Lord is coming. Every one of us shall give account of himself. Every man shall bear his own burden.