Revelation Wrap Up
From Information to Transformation
JD Shinn
4/23/20263 min read
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
We’ve spent the last seven posts walking through the ruins and the riches of the seven churches of Asia Minor. We’ve seen the fire of Smyrna, the compromise of Pergamum, and the lukewarm "nausea" of Laodicea.
But if you’ve just read these posts to win a Bible trivia game or to nod your head and say, "Yeah, JD, you really gave it to 'em," then you’ve missed the point. These letters weren't written for our curiosity; they were written for the sanctification of the Church.
Knowledge without application is just pride with a different name. So, the question remains: What are we going to do with this?
1. Stop Externalizing the Rebuke
The biggest temptation when reading Revelation 2 and 3 is to think about other people. We read about the "Jezebel" in Thyatira and think about that denomination down the street. We read about Laodicea and think about the person at church that seems like they are just there to build their business network.
I’m calling us up to look in the mirror instead. Every one of these seven letters contains a mirror. Are you doing the right things for the wrong reasons (Ephesus)? Are you brave in public but compromising in private (Pergamum)? Are you relying on your past reputation while your present heart is cold (Sardis)?
Action Step: Pick the one church that stung the most when you read about it. Don't run from that sting. Sit in it. That sting is probably the Holy Spirit pointing to an area of your life that needs a renovation.
2. Check Your "Thermostat"
We learned that Jesus hates "lukewarm." He’d rather you be boiling or freezing than "fine." Most of us live our lives in the comfortable middle, we don't do anything "too bad", but we aren't exactly on living out Gospel either.
If your Christian life doesn't have any "heat"—if it doesn't cost you anything, if it doesn't change your schedule, and if it doesn't make you look a little "weird" to the world—then you’re likely in the Laodicean trap.
Action Step: This week, do one thing that is "uncool" or "uncomfortable" for the sake of Christ. Have that hard conversation. Give that sacrificial gift. Stand up for the Truth when it’s easier to stay silent. Change the temperature on the thermostat.
3. Return to the "First Works"
The recurring theme in these letters is a call to return. To remember where we fell from and go back to the basics.
We’ve made "Christianese" so complicated and even popularized IT more than Christ. We think we need the right conferences, the right political wins, and the right social media aesthetic. But Jesus just wants our heart. He wants our "first love." He wants our patient endurance. He wants our refusal to deny His name even when you it's costly.
The Final Call Up: Overcomers Only
In every single letter, the reward is promised to the one who overcomes. Not the one who "starts well." Not the one who "attends regularly." The one who finishes.
The world is getting darker, and the pressure on the Church is only going to increase. We don't have time for "lukewarm" faith anymore. We don't have time for "dead" reputations. The King is at the door, and He is looking for His Bride that is ready, holy, and unashamed.
I’m telling you: the standard is high because the King is worth following. Don't settle for a "Christianese" life. Live the Red Letters.
Next Step: I want to hear from you. Which of these seven letters hit you the hardest, and what is one specific change you are making this week because of it? Comment below or shoot me a message. Let’s stop talking about the Bible and start living it.