The Church


Bride is a Rock'n Roll band but we have a message to our music. We have been given gifts and talents by God to write songs and perform before live audiences. These talents have taken us all over the world and we have been fortunate enough to find open doors where we have shared God's sovereign love and have directed audiences to Jesus Christ every where we have traveled. By us singing about what God has done for us we feel we are giving and contributing to God by being instruments ourselves, that he can work through and build his church. The modern day church can be found in the pages of the bible in The Book of Revelation. There are 7 churches represented in Revelations, and they reflect the attitude and the moral and spiritual conduct of the churches in these modern times which we live. The reason I am writing this particular message is so that those who read it will have a better understanding about the age we live in and what roll if any God plays in our modern day system of religion. The first church which John, the author of The Book of Revelations speaks about is the church of Ephesus. This is found in the second chapter where John writes; You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. The church in Ephesus had worked hard and had great perseverance. They could not tolerate wickedness, they had endured hardships, withstood persecution and had not grown weary. It sounds like that religiously they were doing all they could possibly do. Spiritually however they were slack. They were practicing morality but not spirituality. They abandoned their first love. When people give their lives to Jesus for the first time, sometimes they are very excited. They try their best not to make mistakes and to do everything according to God's will. As time passes by it is easy to forget God as they become involved with the functions and activities of the church. They surrender to the will of the church and not to the will of God. To make the church stronger a person is to submit to God's sovereignty and in doing so his/hers first love is not in question. It is common in the church today to find people who sit in the same seat or the same pew every Sunday. To see people who only associates and fellowships with only a certain group in the church. When a person is born again and finds a church home there is usually excitement. This new christian wants to meet people because of their desire to know Christ more intimately. As this new person in Christ becomes more a part of the church family it is common that they loose their focus on God. It is important that our focus and attention not to be moved from God. If he is our central point then we will continue doing those things which build the church. A church is a body of people believing in a common bond. There is strength in numbers and in unity. The bible says a house divided against itself can not stand. Do not forsake the church but if you have lost sight of God, return to your first love today. The second church which is addressed is the poor but rich church of Smyrna. This is a humble church that did not realize that they were indeed rich in Christ. John wrote: I know your afflictions and your poverty- yet you are rich! This was more than a statement this was a promise of God to the meek and humble people of Smyrna. John continued to write warning and admonishment: Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution. But be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give you a crown of life. This is a church who loved God but they were about to experience and go through hardship like they had never seen. God comes to the rescue with a promise and a blessing. Do not be afraid he says, be faithful and you will receive a crown of life. This little church was about to be tried by fire. This persecution however would bring forth reward. I believe this church would overcome because Jesus was their center point. Many churches today have gone through scrutiny, hardships, and tribulations. If their church was built and founded upon the rock, if Jesus Christ was their Cornerstone then that church would have overcome the days of trouble and the gates of hell would not prevail against them. If you have been witnessed to a church falling apart, If you have seen members leave with hurt feelings to never return, if the pastor has lost his faith then this church was not on solid ground. Their focus was not on Jesus but rather on man or pleasures of this world. In verse 8 of the second chapter of Revelations an example is provided for the church of Smyrna to increase their faith. John writes; These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. What that says is this church would feel the suffocating hand of death upon their face but that God would not forsake them and would breath life into them like he did with Adam. If your church is experiencing perilous times, if things seem to be falling apart, as a church, in one mind and one accord call on the name of Jesus and he promises to be there for us. To the church in Pergamum John writes: I know where you live where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. Pergamum was a very religious city in Asia. It boasted a temple to Zeus, a temple to a healing god who was worshiped in the form of a serpent. It was known for it's medical university which housed a library with over two hundred thousand volumes. The church here had not renounced their faith even though they were surrounded by immoral people who worshipped other Gods. There were people in the church who had allowed sin in, by eating foods sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality. God commanded them to repent or he would fight against them with the sword of his mouth. God's warning was not to the false teachers but to those in the church who tolerated it. These false teachers were distorting God's truths and the church continued their association with them without speaking against this evil. The sword of his mouth is absolute judgment of those who are disobedient and truth for those who are faithful. If you are finding yourself in a situation where your church may not be condoning immoral behavior but allowing it, you must pray that God will reveal his truth. It is by the Word of God that we combat Satan and it is by his Word that we will overcome. The heavens and the earth will pass away but his Word will remain forever! To the church in Thyatira John writes: I know your deeds, your service and perseverance, and that now you are now doing more than you did before. Here is a church that is actually more busy than they have ever been but John goes on to write that God holds something against them. There was a women teaching in the church false doctrine and she had been misleading some in the church to practice sexual immorality. God had given her time to repent but she had been unwilling. God issued a warning that she would be punished and her children and anyone else who had committed adultery with her. God was immediately going to unleash punishment on her and those who followed her teachings. God had issued his last warning. There are those in today's churches who have been warned time and time again to repent of their sins. Not only does sin effect a person on a personal level but many times it is contagious and spreads like a disease to others. There is pleasure in sin for a season the bible says, but the scripture goes on to say "the wages of sin is death". God is a God of patience not wanting any to perish never the less because of mans foolishness, pride and direct rebellion God will execute punishment and judgement upon the children of disobedience. To those who were faithful and had not held the teachings of this treacherous women God says: Hold on to what you have until I come. To him that overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. There is always a reward for those who can endure to the end. Always a blessing for those who are unmoved in their faith when tragedy hits. The next church is what we call the dyeing church. The church of Sardis John writes: I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of God. Sardis was one of the richest cities of its time. Over time this church with so much great potential to influence a city became stained and tarnished by the city. Jesus declared his warning to this hypocritical church to wake up, get their eyes off the things of the world and on him. This as a church which had the appearance of being spiritual. They looked alive from the outside but within they were dyeing. There was little spirituality remaining and what had survived would not stand much longer. God went on to instruct John to write that if they did not repent and wake up that he would come to them like a thief. This is a clear indication that what little they had left keeping the church afloat, God was about to strip them of it and let them sink. God always gives the church many warnings and sounds many alarms before the storm. Sometimes the church is so caught up in itself that they have removed themselves far from the voice of God and are out of range of the warning sirens. Church functions like picnics, roller skating parties, basketball games etc are not evil in itself but when they take the place of God and of worship and praise, God will not tolerate such behavior. Once again we find God turning to those who love him and God promising to those who overcome that they will be dressed in white, he will not blot their name out of the book of life, but will acknowledge their name. Jesus knows his own and his sheep hear his voice. The next church is the most talked about church within the religious community. It is the church of Philadelphia. This is the most revered church because every church wishes for God to view them the way he does this loyal church. John writes: Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. This church of Philadelphia for some is the bride of Christ who will be under Gods great protective hand during the tribulation. While others suffer and churches around them are falling this church remains impregnable. God promises that no one will take their crown. In verse 8 of the 3rd chapter the scripture says that God has placed them before an open door which no one can shut because Jesus holds the key. This open door could be one of two things. It could mean that there is an open door for God to bring his blessings into the church or an open door for escape of these perilous times which will befall all mankind. By keeping God's word and not denying the name of Jesus this church is not violated by wickedness surrounding them. In Romans chapter 10 verse 9 it reads That if we confess with our mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. You see these other churches we have mentioned confessed Jesus with their mouths but their hearts were far from him. They were lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Takers and not givers. Jesus said that he did not come into the world to be served but to serve others. This is the example that the true Church of Jesus should follow.The churches business, and undertaking is to give to the community, be a light house in a city being struck by darkness. The last church to consider is the church in Laodicea. This church may be in fact the most despicable church of them all. They are indecisive on their belief, luke warm, swaying beliefs with every doctrine. Being a christian to this church was a hobby. It was about recreation not salvation. The Lord calls them, wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. They did not have the covering of Christ or the armor of God. They had no way to defend themselves if attacked by Satan. This would mean that Satan came in and out of their doors as he pleased. He warned them that because they were neither hot nor cold that he would soon spit them out of his mouth. Then as Jesus always did as he walked the earth he turned to them and said: Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with me. Jesus was on the outside of this particular church. They sang about him, preached about him, most likely did miracles in his name but had never invited him into their church. Ironic to think that people would go to all the trouble of getting dressed for church in the early hours on the sabbath, make the trek to the church, go through the motions of worship and praise but never allow the one the speak of to enter. This was a church in need of a complete overhaul. Instead of conveniently aborting it Jesus said I love you, "if you will" let me in, I will not only fellowship with you and commune with you but I will allow you to get close to me. The bible says draw close to God and he in turn will draw close to you. Jesus made the first step toward us when he left his home in glory to live as God's Son on earth. To place himself upon the cross in my place and erase away my sin by the shedding of his blood was a long stride in my direction. This was a church that merely went through the motions of having church. They were not able to do anything spiritual because apart from God we can do nothing. Somehow they managed to exist as a church of the God of Abraham without ever knowing whom they claimed to serve. God made a way for the wicked when he sent his Son to take the place of sinful man upon the cross of Calvary thus providing a way for this church in Laodicea to repent and be forgiven. History records that this church did indeed fall and lies deserted and ruined today. To the church which is the body of Christ and to the individual which makes up the church God invites everyone to share in the hope of salvation through faith by grace that Jesus brought to the earth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

Dale Thompson

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