Revelation 3:7 – “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia.
This is the message from the one who is holy and true,
the one who has the key of David.
What he opens, no one can close;
and what he closes, no one can open:
8 “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. 9 Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.
10 “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. 12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.
13 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” (NLT)
Today’s passage is Jesus’ letter to the church in Philadelphia. Philadelphia was founded as a center for Greek culture, sort of a governmental mission to that part of the world. It had various schools and many artists. The same earthquake that destroyed Sardis destroyed Philadelphia in 17 AD. Strong aftershocks, however, continued to rock the city for years, and many of its inhabitants left the city for the surrounding countryside. The result was a city in ruins whose remaining inhabitants lived in fear.
Like Sardis, there really isn’t much in the way of accusations against the church. The key to this passage is found in verse eight: “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.” Because of the trying times in their city, they had little strength. It is important to note that Jesus recognizes their weakness, and the reasons for their weakness. Jesus does not, however, abandon them in their weakness. Jesus tells them that he has opened a door for them. What could this mean?
There are several theories as to what exactly this could have meant, but one thing is for sure, it meant an opportunity. Perhaps it was an opportunity to reach out to the shell shocked citizens of Philadelphia with something more than brotherly love. Maybe it meant they could reach out with the unconditional love of Jesus. It may have been an opportunity for the Christians in Philadelphia to draw closer to Jesus, for we know that in John 10:9, Jesus says that he himself is the door.
The Spiritual lesson for us from this passage is that even when all around us seems tragic and dark, Jesus is there for us. Jesus will not abandon us in our time of need. Today, regardless of what takes place in our lives, let us never grow discouraged. Instead, let us be confident in the one who is always with us!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Revelation 3:1 – “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:
“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
4 “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
6 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. (NLT)
Today we examine the letter to the church in Sardis. Sardis was a center for the woolen trade. It is recorded that the art of dying wool was actually developed in Sardis (and this is why Jesus references soiled and white clothing). In 17 AD there was a severe earthquake that essentially destroyed the city. The city was faltering, and relied heavily upon Rome’s money to keep going. Rome did its best to rebuild the city, but they could not revitalize the spirit of the inhabitants. The church in Sardis reflected the surrounding society, both were dead spiritually. Jesus speaks of this in verse one: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.”
Unlike the churches in the other letters we have looked at, the church in Sardis is not rebuked for idol worship or immorality, so they must have been living good, moral lives. They probably went to church, and did good church ‘stuff’, yet they were still dead. There are a lot of good Christians who go to church and do good church stuff, but God desires more from us. God desires that we have passion! This letter teaches us that a lack of passion for our Christian walk does not meet the requirements of God (verse 2).
Perhaps, this was a church without real Christian action. Remember what James tells us: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). Christians often regard Jesus as the one to whom we look for something – strength, help, comfort, forgiveness. While Jesus is always ready to supply these in abundance, the truth of the matter is that Jesus looks for something from us, as well. Jesus looks for and desires our love for others; our loyalty to Jesus; and our service towards humanity. We are to be Christ’s witness to the world. As the Apostle Paul said, we are to be the Body of Christ at work in the world.
Today, let us strive to move beyond church ‘stuff’. Let us allow our relationship with Jesus to be modeled in all that we do!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Revelation 2:18 – “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze:
19 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.
20 “But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.
22 “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.
24 “But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them—depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you 25 except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come. 26 To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end,
To them I will give authority over all the nations.
27 They will rule the nations with an iron rod
and smash them like clay pots.
28 They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!
29 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. (NLT)
We return today to the Book of Revelation, and we examine Jesus’ words to the church in Thyatira, which is the longest of the seven letters. At that time, Thyatira was a huge commercial center. All religions were welcomed, and there was not currently any persecution of Christians in the city. So what was the problem?
Because Thyatira was a great commercial center, there were a great number of trade guilds, or unions, designed for the mutual profit and pleasure of people in like businesses. The culture of the society was reflected in the guild activities. There would be a meal sacrificed to various gods, and the people would eat and drink. Often they would become drunk and they would indulge in immoral activities. Christians had been warned to stay away from these guilds, but there was a movement led by a woman of the church (Jesus calls her Jezebel) which called for compromise. She was teaching Christians to compromise with worldly standards for the sake of commercial prosperity.
Can you see how current and timely the teachings of this book are for us today? How many Christians seek compromise with worldly standards for the sake of profit?
I think it’s important to note that there was much good going on in the church in Thyatira. On the surface all looked well. If a Christian from another city visited the church in Thyatira, they would have probably thought that all was well. It was not until one looked into the personal lives of the individual Christians that one would come to learn that all was not well. This tells us that numbers at church don’t really mean a thing! It is possible to have a crowded service, but in fact what is going on is entertainment, and not worship or learning.
Today, let us continue to live out our faith in all that we do. In every relationship, and with every person with whom we have contact, let us strive to be as Christ-like as we possibly can. Let us remember to continually call upon the Holy Spirit for this strength!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Revelation 2:12 – “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword:
13 “I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.
14 “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. 15 In a similar way, you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching. 16 Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.” (NLT)
In today’s passage, Jesus sends a message to the church in Pergamum, which was the Roman capital in Asia Minor at that time. As with all Roman cities of that era, there were various temples dedicated to various gods. There was one type of worship, however, for which Pergamum was noted – Caesar worship. In an effort to bring national solidarity to the empire, Caesar allowed the people to worship whatever they liked, as long as they also worshipped Caesar. This is what Jesus calls ‘Satan’s throne’ in verse thirteen.
In verse twelve we are told that Jesus has a sharp two-edged sword. This refers to the Word of God that Jesus brings. The Word of God has the power to bring healing for those who heed its teaching but is also has the power to condemn for those who reject it.
In verses fourteen and fifteen, Jesus shares his complaints’ against the church. Some were holding onto to sexual sin, and to eating what was offered to idols. Balaam was associated with magic. Magic was a big part of religious experiences in that part of the world. As to the eating meat offered to an idol, this can be a troubling passage in light of Paul’s teaching on this subject. Basically, Paul said that there was nothing wrong with the meat, but not to eat it if it caused another to stumble. The problem in Pergamum was that some people refused to worship Caesar, but they would buy the meat that had been offered to Caesar during worship. They did this in an effort to satisfy the Roman officials. The problem was not the meat itself, but rather their motivation for eating the meat. Eating the meat offered to Caesar was a compromise.
The lesson for us here is that compromising our religious convictions is always wrong. If we say that Jesus is Lord, then Jesus must be Lord of all of our life, not just certain parts of life. There are many behaviors that are accepted within our society, just as eating meat offered to Cesar was accepted in Pergamum. Being socially acceptable does not make something right. We cannot bow down to Jesus on Sunday and then bow down to other accepted behaviors during the week.
Today, let us hold fast to the teachings of God’s Word. Let us strive not to compromise. Let Jesus be the Lord of All of Life!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Revelation 2:8 – “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:
9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death. (NLT)
In this passage, Jesus speaks to the church in Smyrna. Smyrna was an interesting city in that while it had a large pagan population, it also had a large Jewish population. A number of these Jews became Christians, but many others did not follow Christ. The Christians in Smyrna were facing opposition from several fronts. Jesus makes it clear that whatever is opposing the Church – which is the Body of Christ at work in the world – is of Satan. The opposition that they were facing was of Satan, and any opposition that we face as we follow Christ is from Satan, as well.
Jesus says that some will be thrown into prison for ten days. Jewish writers (and John was a Jewish Christian) would often use ten to mean a short period of time, and when we read this we probably think that ten days is not so bad. We must understand, however, that in those days, if one was in prison for a short period of time, it was probably because a sentence had already been passed, and they would soon be executed. This is why Jesus calls for them to be faithful even when facing death. Jesus tells them that if they were faithful they would soon wear the crown of life. There were several words for crown in the Greek, and this crown was one signifying joy, the type of crown worn at a banquet. The lesson for us is that while we may never achieve the things we desire in this life, thanks be to Jesus, we can still be victorious and experience true joy at God’s great banquet!
The ‘second death’ spoke of in verse eleven is the judgment that all must receive. The Christians in Smyrna were told that if they were strong, and did not deny Jesus, then Jesus would not deny them at the time of judgment. While, in this country, we do not face the persecution that these early Christians faced, we, too, must not deny Jesus. Once again we are reminded that confessing with our mouth is great, but the proof of our faith is lived out daily in the ‘real world’.
Today, let us be strong against that which would oppose our Christian walk. Let us remain faithful, knowing that any trouble we face now is fleeting, and that the crown of life awaits us in our heavenly home.
Posted by Ramón Torres
Revelation 2:1 – “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:
2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.
4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 6 But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.
7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. (NLT)
I seem to have found my way into the Book of Revelation, so we might as well continue for a while! At the close of chapter one, we are told that it is the Risen Christ who speaks these words. This section is written to the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a huge city, and like Rome, many roads led to Ephesus. It was also a major center for the worship of various pagan gods, and was considered a wicked and dangerous place.
In verse one, Jesus says that he holds the seven stars in his right hand, and walks among the gold lampstands. Lampstands was imagery of that day to signify the churches (think of letting your light shine). Jesus is writing to seven churches, but seven was also a number that meant completeness. This letter is for the Church universal. The word we translate as hold had a stronger meaning in the Greek, it meant to have total control over something. The Church belongs to Jesus, and the Apostle Paul even called the Church the Body of Christ.
In verses four and five Jesus shares his complaint against the Church in Ephesus. The phrase is one that means that their first rush of enthusiasm has worn off. Sadly, this is the case when many come to know Jesus – they are all excited at first, but as time goes on they let their enthusiasm die. With their lack of enthusiasm for Christ came a lack of love and concern for others, as well. We are all called to love others, but we must nurture our love for Jesus first. Without love for Jesus, our care and ministry for others will be replaced with a love and enthusiasm for the world.
In verse six, Jesus says: “You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.” The Nicolaitans were associated with the teachings Balaam, a pagan god. They were also associated with immoral sexual practices. It seems as if the Nicolaitans were not willing to be different from the rest of the world. We are called to be different – to act and speak differently. The difference in our lives should be easily noticed.
In verse seven Jesus promises the tree of life for those who overcome the desires of this world. Are we saved by our actions? No, but if Jesus is truly in our heart, then our actions will reflect Jesus.
In light of this ancient and difficult text, let us strive to make every effort to nurture our relationship with Jesus, so that our lives will reflect the one who is merciful and loving. Let us strive to be noticeably different!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Revelation 1:9 – I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. (NLT)
This week we continue in Revelation, Chapter one. John was writing to Christians who were suffering hardships, and John shares that he, too, was suffering. John was exiled to Patmos. During the early years of the persecution of Christians, being exiled was a common punishment. In verse ten we might get a glimpse of why he was exiled. John states that he was worshiping on the Lord’s Day. This is one of the earliest written records of Christians worshiping on a Sunday, as opposed to the traditional Jewish Sabbath. Of course, we know that Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, and that certainly was a factor for Christians worshiping on Sunday, but there is another reason.
In much of the Roman Empire, the first day of the week was called the Emperor’s Day, and it was a day in which people would worship the Emperor. In direct response to Emperor worship, many Christians decided to worship Jesus on that day. I believe that there is a great spiritual lesson in this for us. Do we refuse to join others in the worship the things of the world, or even the people of the world? I’m not saying that being a fan of something or someone is wrong, but the line between admiration and worship can sometimes be rather blurry.
In verses twelve through sixteen there is much imagery that seems strange to us. While it is not my point here to go into an explanation of each, I do want to share that each of these images was taken from the Old Testament, which was the Bible for John. The lesson for us in this is that when John has a vision – a revelation – in came to him in scenes from Scripture. Perhaps, the best way for us to prepare ourselves for a revelation of God’s truth is to study the revelation that God has already given to us – the Bible.
Today, let us worship Jesus above all else, and let us stay grounded in God’s Word. Who knows, God may have a powerful vision for you!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Revelation 1:1 – This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, 2 who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.
4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia.
Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
7 Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.
And everyone will see him—
even those who pierced him.
And all the nations of the world
will mourn for him.
Yes! Amen!
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” (NLT)
Today’s reading comes from the Book of Revelation. To our modern ears and our modern way of thinking about the world, this book is difficult to understand, but there are tremendous truths to uncover. Christians should study this book just as they would any other book of the Bible. What many fail to understand is that throughout this book it is Jesus Christ himself that reveals the message to John. It is Jesus who is quoted in verse eight of this passage. Ignoring this book is to ignore Jesus! While this book has been interpreted by many to be about some future events, it is timeless, and has spoken to every generation since it was written, and it should speak to us, as well.
In these opening verses of this book, verses five and six speak volumes. It is Jesus who has freed us from the power of sin. We know the result of sin, but we also know the result of Jesus’ death in our place: the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Verse five above speaks of this: “All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.”
Being freed from our sins is paramount in our relationship with Jesus, but we must never forget what our responsibility is as those who have been freed from sin’s power. We are told what this responsibility is in verses six: “He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father.” Priests, or pastors, are people who should be seen and heard. Priests and pastors should be people of influence. All Christians should be seen and heard. All Christians should be proclaiming the power and glory of God. All Christians should be people of influence.
Today, let us consider what people see in us, and what they hear from us. Let us consider the influence we may have on others. As we are told to do in verse six, let us give Jesus the glory forever, and ever! Amen!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Psalm 40:1 – I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord,
who have no confidence in the proud
or in those who worship idols.
5 O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them.
6 You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand[a]—
you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
7 Then I said, “Look, I have come.
As is written about me in the Scriptures:
8 I take joy in doing your will, my God,
for your instructions are written on my heart.”
9 I have told all your people about your justice.
I have not been afraid to speak out,
as you, O Lord, well know.
10 I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
of your unfailing love and faithfulness. (NLT)
In this psalm we have a wonderful picture of what the Lord can do for those who wait Patiently on the Lord. Then we see what our response should be when we receive an answered prayer. In verses 1-3, the psalmist declares what the Lord has done: lifted him out of the pit; set his feet on solid ground; steadied his walk; gave him a new song in his heart. As great as that was, the psalmist was determined that others would come to notice what the Lord has done: “Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord” (verse 3).
We, too, should be determined that others should take notice of what God has done for us. How do we make sure that others take notice? The answer is given in verses nine and ten. The psalmist spoke up and told others what the Lord had done. In verse ten he states that he has not kept the good news to himself. We have the fullness of the Good News that the ancient Jews never had, so we should be even more determined to share. We cannot keep God’s Good News hidden. It has not been given to us to keep to ourselves, but rather it was given to us to share with others. 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us: “God is making his appeal through us.” God is making an appeal to all people, and we are the means by which all people can come to know of God’s grace.
Today, let us be as the psalmist. Let us talk about God’s saving power and unfailing love (verse 10).
Posted by Ramón Torres