Queen's Road Cell

 Optional Application: Do you act as though you think you are rich or poor in your own resources? Do you need gold, white clothes, and eye-salve from Jesus? Pray about this. 'Gold' is spiritual wealth (cf. Lk 12:21). There is investment in the eternal: relationship with God, service and contribution to the kingdom. "white" is purity, holiness, internal and external righteousness "salve" is spiritual vision and perspective - a God's eye view For Thought and Discussion: What does It Imply that Jesus describes Himself as outside the door from the Christians at Laodicea? He was not having intimate fellowship with them. They were self-preoccupied and self-sufficient. They did not think they needed Jesus' presence and relationship. For Thought and Discussion:  a. In each letter, Jesus closes (before or after the promise to the overcomers) with the same summons for those with ears to hear. What is the point of this call? Whom do you think He is addressing? ...

For Thought and Discussion: What is the significance of the white clothes in 3:4-5? (See 6:11; 7:9,13.) Purity   For Thought and Discussion: What Is Jesus' point in repeating "name" four times in 3:1-6? " You have the reputation of being alive" "Yet you have still a few names in Sardis" "I will never blot his name out of the book of life"   "I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels"     The 'name' stands for the whole person. Despote the failure of the church as a whole, God knows His people as individuals, yet not as others kinow us. He takes delight in rewarding us.   For Further Study: What does It mean to be a true Jew (3:9)? See Romans 2:2-29 Those who obey the law of God in their hearts (2:29) Those who are children of the promise (Rom 9:7), who share Abraham's faith.   13. What encouragements does Jesus offer in 3:7-13 to those suffering persecution? "I know you" "I have set be...

 For Thought and Discussion:  a. What do Jesus' "eyes ... Iike blazing fire" (2:18) have to do with Thyatira? Consider 2:23. We said that this means that Christ comes in cleansing, purifying judgment. He will deal with the false prophetess who seduced people to sexual immorality and idolatry (cf. 1 Kings 16:31; 2 Kings 9:22,30-37) and her followers. b. How are His "feet ... like burnished bronze" (2:18) relevant? We said that feet represent purity and stability. Optional Application: The Ephesian church was strong on resisting false doctrine and immorality but weak on love (2:2-4). The Thyatiran church was strong on love but weak on resisting false doctrine and immorality (2:19-20). Which of these, if either, are you more like? What can you do about this? Perhaps some of us are not strong in either aspect! We cannot emphasize relational aspects of faith over doctrine, nor doctrine over relationship. The impetus to love must come from Biblical views of people and...

For Thought and Discussion: Consider the repeated refrain that ends (or almost ends) Jesus' word to each church (such as 2:29). Does this suggest that these prophetic words are meant only for the specific church addressed, or for others? Why? Does this refrain prove that the words are not for specific churches? Why or why not? "  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churche s" (2:7,n11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22) suggests that the message to each church forms a part of an overall message to every church, of every age. 1. The rebuke Jesus has for the Ephesian church is "You have forsaken your first love" (2:4). What do you think this means? (Optional: See Jeremiah 2:2, Matthew 22:37-38.) The first devotion to the Lord. "Abandoned" may speak of a more deliberate step to emphasize certain things instead of others.   But isn't this normal? Can we sustain devotion? Shouldn't love grow with greater knowledge of God? We can never love...

6. When "a voice like a trumpet" commands John to "Write ... what you see," John turns to see the voice (1:10-12). What John sees recalls visions that the prophet Daniel had centuries earlier. What do the following passages help you understand about John's vision in Revelation 1: 12-16? Da 7:9-10. The vision of Jesus recalls the vision of God ("the Ancient of Days"): white hair, fire Da 7:13-14. "The Son of Man" is presnted to the Ancient of Days to receive a kingdom Da 10:4-6. This angelic being has a belt of gold,  his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.   7. What does the "sharp double-edged sword" (1:16) seem to signify? (Consider Isaiah 49:2; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 2:16; 19:15,21.)   The power/authority of words/the Word to strike down and rule nations. A  double-edged tool comfort...