"What Christ thinks of his Church." [Text addresses 3 chapters of Revelation]

What Christ thinks of the Church is a question no Christian can ignore. What do unbelievers think of it from the outside, and what Christians think of it from the inside are both important? But far more  significant is the opinion of Jesus Christ himself, the founder and Lord of the Church? We must be thankful that, in seeking to discover Christ's view, we don't have to work in the dark. Seem's like
    the New Testament supplies us with much information concerning our Lord's purposes for His Church. We may get a glimpse from some of His own words recorded in the Gospel's, from the description of the primitive church given us in  Act's and from the epistles to various churches in the rest of the New Testament just what His plan is for the Church which is His body. No passage, in the New Testament, however, contains more clear, concise and comprehensive  instruction on the Church's life, and work than the second and third chapters of the "Book of Revelation." Here are written messages to Seven most prominent of the Roman Province of Asia.
  ( Their names are: Troas, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Smyma, Ephesus, Laodica, Colssae, Miletus, Patmos.
 Though written by St. John, it is claimed that these letters came directly from the lips of the ascended and glorified Christ. In them by praise and censure, warning and exhortation, he makes plain much of his will for his people, and more so, when his letters are read not in isolation, but in the context of the first seven chapters of Revelations in which they are embedded. We shall find much in Christ's letters
 to the first century Asian churches, call to repentance and renewal and will stir us Christians to examine the life of the Church in Christ name. May our ears be opened to hear " what the spirit says to us, to humble us, and warn us of the wiles of the enemy.
 The average christian fights to shy away from the book of Revelations. It seems to them well nigh incomprehensible. He is skeptical of some of the fanciful interpretations he has heard, and cannot
 accept the books bizarre imagery. To start reading the book of revelation is to step into a strange, unfamiliar world of angels, and demons, of lambs, lions horses and dragons. seals are broken, trumpets blown and the contents of  seven bowls poured out on the earth. Two violet, malicious
 beasts appear, one emerging out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads, and the other rising from the earth with a lamb's horn and a dragons voice. There is thunder, lighting, hail, fire, blood, and smoke.The whole book appears at first sight to contain weird and mysterious visions. We can not leave the matter there. The "Book is a Divine revelation" given by God to his servants  (1:1). It promises at the beginning a special blessings to him who reads it aloud in church and to those who listen (1:3). It also adds a solemn warning to anyone who dares tamper with its message (22: 18-19).
  Besides this last book of the "Bible" has been cherished by Christ's church in every generation and has bought its challenge and its comfort to thousands of Christian believers. We would be foolish to neglect it. We are concerned with this text today with the book's three chapters, in particular with the second and third chapters which contain the seven letters addressed by the ascended Christ to seven Asian churches. Chapter one is introductory to the whole book.  Some important clues, to the  interpretation are given us in its very first verse: " the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what soon must take place; and be made known by sending his angel to his servant John. The whole book of "Revelations is an unveiling by God's hand which otherwise would have remained hidden. The first of the seven letters is addressed to Ephesus if for no other reasons,because it was nearer to the Island Patmos then the other six cities. (Rev.2:1-7). A straight sail of sixty-miles would bring the bearer of this letter to the port of Ephesus at the mouth of the river cayster.  In each of the seven letters Jesus Christ passes moral judgment, upon the church concerned.
 To the church at Smyrna  Jesus gives unmixed praise, but to the church at Laodicea He expresses unrelieved condemnation. The Philadelphian church is more praised and the church at Sardis more blamed than praised.
 It is clear that the risen Lord is in a position to evaluate the condition of each church and to  commend or condemn them, for He knows. As He says here: it is He who holds the seven stars in  His right hand, who walks among the seven golden lamp stands (v.1). The claim is even stronger here than the earlier one in the first chapter, He not only "has" the stars; He holds them. He not only stands in the midst of the lamp stands; He walks among them He is the divine overseer of the churches. Did he not say " where two or three are gathered in my name, there " am I." in the midst of them. Christ visits his people. he dwells with us. He walks with us, He expect us to talk to him through "prayer." The Ephesian church was an active one,  The church was an active one and they exhibited (3) virtues:which Jesus Christ could could commend. (1) Their toil: The Ephesian church was an active one, busy in the service of God and man. They were fully occupied entertaining the lonely, and nursing the sick, teaching the young. and visiting the aged.. Their toil was famous. They were a beehive of activity, always doing something for Christ. (2). Their endurance: Ephesians had been exposed to some fierce  local opposition, for Ephesus was a meeting place for many religions and a great center for emperor worship in the province. Some inhabitants practiced magical arts from the orient, while everybody had a profound reverence for the Great Diana of the Ephesians, the mother goddess of Asia. The city was put into uproar through St.Paul's preaching. Craftsmen feared for theirs sales of silver shrines., their vested interest and they were totally opposed to Paul, who had left Ephesus and died long ago.  Christians in Ephesus knew what it was liked to be hated, to be snubbed. They found shopping a problem, for tradesmen would not sell to Christians.
 (3).   What a splendid church was the church at Ephesus!  It appeared to be a model church in every way. Its members were busy, in their service, patient in their sufferings, and orthodox in their belief. Only one thing was lacking. Jesus reminded them:" I have one thing against you, that you have abandoned the love you  had a first!  They had fallen from great devotion to Christ, and went back to mediocrity. In other words back sliders. Didn't Jesus himself prophesy, that when the wickedness multiplies, " Most men's love will grow cold.
 Certainly the hearts of the Ephesians Christians had chilled. The words of Christ complaint do not themselves make clear whether the first love which they had abandoned  was love for himself  or for their fellow man?
  Jesus solemnly declare to everyone who reads this book. If anyone adds to what is written here. God shall add to him the plagues described in this book. If anyone subtracts any part of these prophesies, God shall take away his share in the "Tree of Life," and in the Holy City just described.
 He who has said all these things declares:  Yes I am coming soon! (suddenly). Amen! come, Lord Jesus. The early devotion to Christ had cooled, the flush of ecstasy had passed. They had fallen out of love with him . The grace of the "Lord Jesus Christ be with you all."