Staying on Track in Your Spiritual Life

1
Staying on Track in Your Spiritual Life

• The Book of Revelation Chapters 2 3
• September 19, 2003

2
Warm-Up Activity!

• Chart your spiritual growth over the last year
• Mark significant events that have either caused
  your spiritual life to grow or decline

3
Brief Introduction to the Book of Revelation

• The Purpose of The Book
• Hope
• Victory
• Praise
• Heaven

4
Brief Introduction tothe Book of Revelation

• The Author Date
• Saint John the Apostle and the Evangelist
• 95 A.D.

5
In this lesson

• Revelation 2 3
• The Message to the Seven Churches
• The angel of each church
• The Weakness of each church
• Description of the Lord
• The Remedy and Reward

6
The Church at Ephesus

• Revelation 21-7
• Written to Saint Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus

7
The Problem of the Church at Ephesus

• Lukewarm Love
• Nevertheless I have this against you, that you
  have left your first love (24)

8
How does the Lord present Himselfto the Church
at Ephesus?

• who holds the seven stars in His right hand,
  who walks in the midst of the seven golden
  lampstands (Rev. 21).
• The seven stars the seven bishops
• The seven golden lampstands the churches

9
What is the Remedy and Rewardfor the Church at
Ephesus?

• repent and do the first works (25)
• Continue resisting the heresy of the Nicolaitans
• Sexual Immorality
• Eating things sacrificed to idols
• Reward the tree of lifein the
• midst of the Paradise of God. (27)

10
Lessons from the Church at Ephesus

• In order to combat lukewarm love
• Repent and Act
• Contemplate on Gods love for us He holds us and
  protects us
• Contemplate on the Reward to eat from the tree
  life in the midst of the Paradise of God

11
The Church at Smyrna

• Revelation 28-11
• Written to Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna

12
The Problem of the Church at Smyrna

• Persecution
• I know your works, tribulation, and poverty
  (but you are rich) and I know the blasphemy of
  those who say they are Jews and are not, but are
  a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those
  things which you are about to suffer. Indeed,
  the devil is about to throw some of you into
  prison, that you may be tested, and you will have
  tribulation ten days . . . (29-10).

13
How does the Lord present Himselfto the Church
at Smyrna?

• the First and the Last, who was dead, and came
  to life. (28).

14
What is the Remedy and Rewardfor the Church at
Smyrna?

• Do not fear be faithful until death (210)
• Reward
• The Crown Life (210)
• not be hurt by the second death. (211)

15
Lessons from the Church at Smyrna

• Endure persecution and suffering with all
  thanksgiving knowing that you are sharing in the
  life of our Lord who also suffered for us.
• Contemplate on the promise of the Resurrection
  and the Crown of Life

16
The Church at Pergamos

• Revelation 212-17
• Written to Kerios the Martyr

17
The Problem of the Church at Pergamos

• Obstacles and Stumbling Blocks
• you have there those who hold the doctrine of
  Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block
  before the children of Israel (214).

18
How does the Lord present Himselfto the Church
at Pergamos?

• He who has the sharp two-edged sword (212).

19
What is the Remedy and Rewardfor the Church at
Pergamos?

• Repentance (216)
• Reward (217)
• The hidden manna
• The white stone

20
Lessons from the Church at Pergamos

• The power to overcome obstacles and stumbling
  blocks in your spiritual life come through the
  Holy Mysteries (Sacraments).
• Trust in Gods justice that He will prevail over
  the enemy

21
The Church at Thyatira

• Revelation 218-29
• Written to Saint Irenaeus, disciple of Saint
  Polycarp

22
The Problem of the Church at Thyatira

• Evil Lusts
• you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself
  a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to
  commit sexual immorality and eat things
  sacrificed to idols (220).

23
How does the Lord present Himselfto the Church
at Thyatira?

• the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of
  fire, and His feet like fine brass (218)
• Eyes like fire to discern every detail of our
  lives
• Feet like fine brass to demolish over every evil

24
What is the Remedy and Rewardfor the Church at
Thyatira?

• To cut off all evil lusts
• Reward The morning star which will dissipate all
  of Jezebels dark deeds

25
Lessons from the Church at Thyatira

• In Christ we can cut off all evil lusts
• Contemplate on Christ, the Sun of Righteousness
  (Malachi 42), who gives us light to cast out
  darkness

26
The Church at Sardis

• Revelation 31-6
• Written to Saint Melito

27
The Problem of the Church at Sardis

• Hypocrisy
• I know your works, that you have a name that you
  are alive, but you are dead (31)

28
How does the Lord present Himselfto the Church
at Sardis?

• who has the Seven Spirits of God and the seven
  stars (31)

29
What is the Remedy and Rewardfor the Church at
Sardis?

• Be Watchful Repent (32-3)
• Reward He who overcomes shall be clothed in
  white garments, and I will not blot out his name
  from the Book of Life but I will confess his
  name before My Father and before His angels
  (35).

30
Lessons from the Church at Sardis

• Stand Ready and Watchful waiting for the
  Bridegroom
• Be truly alive! Do not appear to men as alive,
  while you are really dead on the inside.

31
The Church at Philadelphia

• Revelation 37-13
• Written to Bishop Codranos

32
The Problem of the Church at Philadelphia

• Laziness

33
How does the Lord present Himselfto the Church
at Philadelphia?

• He who is holy, He who is true (37)

34
What is the Remedy and Rewardfor the Church at
Philadelphia?

• To remember mans position as God intended it to
  be
• Reward I will make him a pillar in the temple
  of My GodAnd I will write on him My new name
  (312).

35
Lessons from the Church at Philadelphia

• Avoid laziness by remembering that God is holy
  and true
• God has created each us with a purpose, that He
  may work in us and through us

36
The Church at Laodicea

• Revelation 314-22
• Written to either Saint Eurelius or Sepharios

37
The Problem of the Church at Laodicea

• Spiritually Lukewarm
• I know your works, that you are neither cold
  nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So
  then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold
  nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth
  (315-16).

38
How does the Lord present Himselfto the Church
at Laodicea?

• the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the
  Beginning of the Creation of God (37)

39
What is the Remedy and Rewardfor the Church at
Laodicea?

• Persevere with hope and always return to the Lord
  for a solution
• Reward I will grant to sit with Me on My
  throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My
  Father on His throne (321).

40
Lessons from the Church at Laodicea

• Avoid becoming spiritually lukewarm and apathetic
• Persevere with hope and always return to the Lord
• Pray that the Holy Spirit continues to ignite the
  spiritual flame

41
Summary
42

• Glory is due to our God
• unto the ages of all ages. Amen.