Revelation 3 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 3:1-6

1 ‘To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

A. Find Out:

1. How is Jesus described? v.1a
2. What was his charge against them? v.1b
3. What did he command them to do? v.2,3a
4. What did he warn might happen? v.3b
5. How did he describe some there? v.4
6. What does he promise overcomers? v.5

B. Think:

1. How would you describe this church?
2. How does Jesus show that the responsibility for it is theirs?
3. What was deceptively dangerous about this church?

C. Comment:

      Observe first, Jesus appears as the one who holds the Holy Spirit and the leadership of the church in his hands. The implication is that the church desperately needs the power of the Spirit, and so he comes as the life bringing Lord of the church.

     Next observe there is virtually no commendation. A few in the church have not become spiritually unclean, that is the best that can be said for them.

      Third, note the strong charges against them: they APPEAR alive, i.e. they give a good outward appearance but inwardly they are dead, lifeless and whatever they do is half-hearted and only part of what God wants them to be doing.

     Fourth, note that Jesus places the responsibility for change on them, they cannot plead “We can come alive if God sends His Spirit”. No, Jesus says, Wake up! Strengthen! Remember! Obey! Repent!

      Although it doesn’t actually say it, the implication is that if they don’t do this He will come and remove the church. The few who are clean and overcome, who do respond, are promised communion with Christ, recognition as saints and eternal life.

D. Application?

1. Beware appearing alive outwardly but actually being dead inside!
2. The responsibility for being “alive” is ours.
3. Jesus looks for whole-heartedness and will not put up with half- heartedness.

Passage: Rev 3:7-13

7 ‘To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars – I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

A. Find Out:

1. How is Jesus described? v.7
2. What had he done for them? 8a,10a
3. For what did she commend them? v.8b
4. Who was he going to deal with? v.9
5. What was going to happen? v.10b.11a
6. What was the overcomer promised? v.12

B. Think:

1. What good things were going to happen to this church?
2. What bad things were going to happen?
3. How would you summarise the blessings of the overcomer?

C. Comment:

      Jesus appears to this church as the Son of God with authority. He does that because he says he places before them a door of opportunity that no one else will be able to shut. Because they are somewhat weak, even though they have been true to the Gospel, they need the particular encouragement of the Lord who controls and who has authority to ensure it happens. Whether the door of opportunity is linked with the unbelieving Jews is not certain, but Jesus says he will deal with them and allow the Christians to triumph over the activities of the enemy.

     Not only that Jesus, the one in authority, promises protection for the church in the face of the difficulties that are coming. Because they have honoured him, he will honour them. He himself will one day return so he encourages them to hold firm, and retain their position of ruling. The overcomer will be honoured (pillar = sign of honour) and they will be ensured a place in the residence of God for ever, where they may receive all the blessings that God has planned for His people.

D. Application?

1. As we seek to honour the Lord, he will honour us and provide all that we need to face the trials and difficulties of the world in which we live.
2. Our position is one of ruling with Jesus (see Ephesians 2:6). May we hold firm to it.

Passage: Rev 3:14-22

14 ‘To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

A. Find Out:

1. How is Jesus described? v.14
2. What does he say is their state? v.15-17
3. What 3 things does he say they should get from him? v.18
4. What did he instruct them to do? v.19
5. How did he say he was coming to them? v.20
6. What is the overcomer promised? v.21

B. Think:

1. What do the descriptions of Jesus at the beginning of this passage indicate about the way he comes to this church?
2. How would you summarise the state of this church?
3. How is his love for this church indicated?

C. Comment:

      Jesus comes to this church as the one who has the final say over all things, the one who came as his Father’s representative and remained true to his task, and therefore as the one to whom all things have been entrusted, the Lord of creation. He describes this church as lukewarm, wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked, a church that thought it had everything but in reality had virtually nothing. It was therefore, a self-deceived church that lacked the power of God, the grace of God and the goodness of God, a church in great need, a nominally Christian church.

      With this damning critique, he warns them he is about to reject them unless they repent quickly. They need to lay down their lives to buy the riches of heaven, the robes of true righteousness and the Holy Spirit to buy true revelation. Jesus comes to this church telling them of his love for them and says he wants to come in. Whoever receives him and his present word is promised communion with Christ and the right to rule with Christ

D. Application?

1. We need to realistically face our state: are we luke-warm? Do we have the power of God? Are we self-deceived? Are we nominal Christians?
2. Whenever God comes with convicting power He comes to restore us to  Himself, to know His love.