Musings on Jesus' Letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation

I've been teaching through the book of Revelation in my Sunday school class and have noticed some very interesting insights with regard to the letters to the seven churches.

1. Of the seven churches Jesus provides no condemnation for Smyrna and Philadelphia. Good churches.
2. Jesus gives no commendation for Laodicea.  Bad church.
3. Ephesus, Pergamum, and Thyatira, are all commended for good works while being condemned for wrong motive and the tolerance of bad leaders and bad doctrine.
4. Sardis is said to have a reputation of being alive (good works) but is really dead.
5. Laodicea has allowed their wealth to get in the way of their love for Jesus.  Jesus even identifies Himself as being outside of the church knocking in order to get in.
6. Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis and half of Thyratira are called to remember and repent or else.
7. Those in Thyratira are split into 2 groups: those who've defiled themselves with Jezebel and those who have not.  Those who have are called to repent.  Those who have not are called to hold fast.  Notice they aren't called to “leave the church and find another more suitable.”
8. Laodicea is called to change everything about themselves.

While these were 1st Century churches experiencing these issues specific, there are many applications for our churches today.  Many churches today have good works, but do them for the wrong reasons (the answer is always Jesus).  Jesus is calling us to remember why we do things and repent.  Others churches have good works, but believe the wrong things and tolerate bad teachers/leaders.  Jesus is calling us to repent and remove those leaders.  Some masquerading as churches, are really country clubs whose membership is not extended to Jesus.   He stands outside and knocks, hoping we’ll invite Him in.  If we are in a church like Laodicea, how in the world are we supposed to change everything?  For starters, it would probably be a good idea to invite Jesus in.

I’m pretty sure most of us hope/assume we are like Smyrna and Philadelphia.  In reality, most of our churches fall into the other categories.  Like Thyratira, some of us are called to stay in churches we would rather leave.  Just some food for thought.