Revelation 2: WWJS?

Ever wonder "What Would Jesus Say?"  Revelation 2 and 3 helps provide an answer to that question as Jesus dictates letters to 7 churches of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).

Bible readers are familiar with the Church in Ephesus due to its mention in the book of Acts and its letter from Paul found in the Bible.  There's good news and bad news for this church.  They are commended for their hard work, perseverance, and testing of false apostles, but criticized for falling away from their first love of Jesus.

The Church in Smyrna is next.  Jesus has mostly praise for them, as they are undergoing extreme persecution.  He calls for them to be faithful and endure.

Jesus also has a message for the Church in Pergamum.  This church is located in the midst of great evil (where Satan has his throne), yet they have remained faithful.  However, this church is weak on confronting false teachings.  Jesus warns them to repent.

For the Church in Thyatira, Jesus offers words of praise for their faith and service and, in contrast to Ephesus, they are even doing more than they did at first.  But, like Pergamum, the Church in Thyatira is tolerating teaching that they should not.  Jesus promises that judgment is coming upon those who are straying into wayward practices, and that the church should strive to remain faithful.

To each church, Jesus reveals Himself in a different way, describing Himself alternatively as:

• Him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the golden lampstands
• Him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
• Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
• The Son of God whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

These are all descriptions from Revelation 1.

Likewise, Jesus signs off each letter to the churches with a unique promise for faithfulness:

• The right to eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God.
• Not be hurt at all by the second death.
• Some of the hidden manna, along with a white stone with a new, secret name.
• Authority over the nations, and the morning star.

This section of Revelation always makes me wonder what Jesus would say to the Church today.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches!