Firm Foundations

Peter Grainger

• Publisher: Christian Focus Publication
• Year: 2011
• eBook ISBN: 9781845509927

1
A Spiritual check-up

| Revelation 1–3 |

One of the advantages of ministering in a church over a long period, is that the pastor/teacher chooses (with the help of the Holy Spirit) to preach from a book or theme which is of particular relevance to the needs or condition of the church and congregation. However, when you first arrive in a church, you are largely unaware of these issues and thus choosing what to preach about is that much more difficult.

Taking this approach, I began my ministry in Charlotte Chapel by preaching from the opening chapters of the last book in the Bible – the Book of Revelation. While some expositors see the seven churches that are addressed as successive stages in Christian history (with the present state always being that of Laodicea, the last church), others see them as a cross-section of the different kinds and states of local churches at any time in history.

With this in mind, we considered together ‘what the Spirit is saying’ – not only to the churches, but to our local church in particular, and asked and attempted to answer the key question:

‘Which of the seven churches in Revelation are we most like in Charlotte Chapel? What is the Spirit saying to us and how should we respond?’

There is an abundance of material on the Book of Revelation in general and the letters to the churches in particular (describing the historical setting and background of each church which is the key to the messages addressed to them) and a few are listed here.

The Tyndale New Testament Commentary on Revelation by Leon Morris (IVP, 1969) gives a good, though brief, commentary on the text. ‘The Bible Speaks Today’ on Revelation by Michael Wilcox (IVP, 1975) has additional application for the preacher. The commentary by Philip Edgcumbe Hughes (IVP & Eerdmans, 1990) includes his own translation and focuses on how the book’s symbolism is drawn from and shaped by the Old Testament. William Hendriksen’s More than Conquerors (1940 – British Edition, Tyndale Press, 1962) has become a classical amillennial interpretation of the Book of Revelation.

William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (The Saint Andrew Press, 1959) has helpful background material. For a guided tour through the book of Revelation, see Richard Bewes The Lamb Wins, (Christian Focus, 2000).

On the letters to the seven churches in particular, Theodore H. Epp’s Christ Speaks to the Church (Good News Broadcasting, 1960) and (more recently) Mike Breen’s The Body Beautiful (Monarch, 1997) have useful material for the preacher.

Finally, John Stott’s What Christ Thinks of the Church (Angus Hudson Ltd/Three’s Company, 1990) contains not only helpful text and application but also beautiful colour pictures of the ancient sites of the seven churches which can still be seen and visited today.

At the end of this book is a sample sermon – full notes of the message on EPHESUS – FIRST LOVE FORSAKEN (Rev. 2: 1-7).

1. What John saw

Revelation 1:9-20

‘What is now’ – a vision of Jesus:

1. He is the Lord of Glory (vv. 13-17a)

• his humanity – ‘like a son of man’
• his divinity – the Son of God

John’s reaction – ‘I fell at his feet as though dead’

2. He is the Lord of life and death (vv. 17b-18)

• his death –‘I was dead’
• his resurrection –‘I am alive for ever and ever’

The Lord’s response – his touch and his word – ‘do not be afraid’

3. He is the Lord of his Church (vv. 19-20)

• his control – he holds the ‘seven stars’
• his activity – he walks ‘among the lampstands’

John’s responsibility – ‘write......’

Our position

• ‘in Patmos’ – we suffer
• ‘in the Spirit’ – we reign

2. Ephesus – first love forsaken

Revelation 2:1-7

Ephesus – a leading city and a leading church (Acts 19–20)

A message from the Lord who sees and knows (v. 2)

1. Commendation (vv. 2-3, 6)

Two reasons for praise

• determination in the face of hardship (Acts 14:21-22)
• discrimination in the face of heresy (Acts 20:26-31)

2. Criticism (v. 4)

One matter of supreme importance

• great love understood (see Eph. and 1 John)
• first love abandoned (Jer. 2:2, 32)

3. Correction (v. 5a)

Three steps that must be taken

• remember (Luke 15:17)
• repent (Luke 15:18-20)
• repeat

A warning (v. 5b) and a promise (v. 7b)

3. Smyrna – death and life

Revelation 2:8-11

The difficult situation the church faced

• intense pressure
• abject poverty
• unjustified slander
• approaching persecution

Yet a message of hope from the risen Lord Jesus

1. The CITY which died and lived

• out of destruction
• a new and prosperous city

2. The LORD who died and lives

JESUS

• the First
• the Last

3. The CHRISTIANS who die and live

What the Lord says to his faithful followers

• ‘I know’ – about your present situation
• ‘Do not be afraid’ – about future persecution
  • it will be used for testing
  • it will be limited in duration
• ‘Be faithful’
  • ‘to the point of death’
  • ‘a crown of life’

4. Pergamum – living where Satan has his throne

Revelation 2:12-17

1. Satan’s seat

Pergamum – a centre for

• the worship of the Greek gods
• the worship of ‘Asclepios the Saviour’
• the worship of Caesar

2. Satan’s strategy

• outright opposition – which did not succeed
• subtle seduction – which was more successful
  • idolatry and
  • immorality

3. The Lord’s power

The Lord’s sword

• the symbol of real power
• used against those who will not repent

4. The Lord’s promise

Future blessings for ‘those who overcome’

• ‘hidden manna’ (see John 6:30-35)
• ‘a white stone with a new name’

5. Thyatira – no compromise!

Revelation 2:18-29

Three words about the city – and the chu...

Table of contents

• Reviews
• Title
• Indicia
• Contents
• Dedication
• Preparing to Preach
• 1. A Spiritual check-up
• 2. Building on the Rock
• 3. Encounters with Jesus
• 4. Treasure in jars of clay
• 5. Running away from the Lord
• 6. Crying in the wilderness
• 7. God meant it for good
• 8. Loved with everlasting love
• 9. The radical teaching of Jesus
• 10. Songs for pilgrims
• 11. A mission which changed the world
• 12. The Prince of Egypt
• 13. Believe it or not!
• 14. The coming king
• 15. Last letter from prison
• A sample Sermon
• About the Author
• Christian Focus