August 25, 202

The first recipients of Revelation had been fighting an uphill battle from the start. The second recorded sermon in Acts results in arrest and trial and from that point on it never stops. Steven, James, Paul, and countless others die for their faith. Tertullian was more than accurate when he said, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” To these faithful fighters Jesus offers hope. 

Hope for the oppressed: 

• Rev 2:25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my word until the end to him I will give authority over many nations 
• Rev 3:9 Behold I will make those of the Synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not but lie behold I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you. 
• Jesus offers these suffering Christians assurance that they have made the right choice and that despite how things may look they will be better off in the end. How often have we seen this lesson and how often do we need to be reminded that while doing the right things will not get you much praise from the world it is well worth it in the long run.

Hope for the lonely:

• Rev 2:24-25 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. 
• Rev 3:4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 
• Even in these troubled churches there are faithful Christians who are doing their best and must feel sick to see their brethren and the congregation they love going down the garden path. These people Jesus encourages and says just hold on. 

Hope for the sinful, Jesus makes it abundantly plain that he will not tolerate sin in His Church but he also makes it clear that there is an alternative:

• Rev 2:5 Remember therefor from where you have fallen: repent and do the works you did at first. If not I will come and remove your lamp stand from its place unless you repent. 
• Rev 3:1-2 (the dead church) Wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die for I have not found your works complete in the sight of God. Remember then what you received and heard. Keep it and repent. 
• Rev 3:18-20 (the lukewarm church) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 
• In all of these cases the church is in trouble yes, but Jesus remains the Saviour and He pleads with them to repent and offers them hope just as He did to the previous groups but with a greater need.

~ Kevin Cleary