Playlist: Letters to the Seven Churches (sermon series)
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Letters to Seven Churches (Part One): Introduction
A Form of Personal CommunicationWe must keep the spiritual lessons of the letters, not just figure out prophecies. There are several ways to view them, but the most important is personally.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Two): Ephesus
Crusty Old SoldiersThe Ephesus church effectively battled various heresies, for which Christ commends it. However, the members lost sight of the reason, having left their first love.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Three): Smyrna
Sheep to the SlaughterChrist prepared the members of Smyrna for martyrdom, promising them eternal glory for enduring a relatively short time, looking at things from a hopeful perspective.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Four): Pergamos
Cultural CompromisersCultural compromise, such as found in Pergamos, brings judgment from Jesus. To those who refuse to compromise their convictions, Christ promises eternal life.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Five): Thyatira
Married to the EnemyThe Thyatira epistle carries a central theme for all seven churches, namely the tendency to syncretize or mix worldly ideas with the truth of God.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Six): Sardis
Dead Men WalkingThe letter to the church in Sardis reads like an obituary, warning us who are alive but lacking zeal to repent and become serious about our calling.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Seven): Repentance
As High Priest, Christ is putting His people through the paces, tailoring the trials and experiences needed for sanctification and ultimate glorification.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Eight): Overcoming
Striving and Enduring to Transform Into Christ's ImageEach of the letters in Revelation 2 and 3 speak of overcoming. By examining those churches, we can understand what we are up against and what we must do.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Nine): Philadelphia
When Jesus warns us not to let anyone take our crown, He encourages us to endure over the long-haul and not bask in the glory of a brief, victorious accomplishment.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Ten): The Church
Vessels of Gold, Vessels of ClayUps and downs, blessings and trials, have characterized every era of the church. God's people are always battling something negative between the brief highs.
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Eleven): Laodicea
The Curse of Eternal SecurityThe Laodiceans fail to reciprocate Christ's love for them. The comfort of prosperity blinded them to their spiritual condition, especially their need for Christ.