138 Seven Churches of Revelation: The Postman of Patmos

At the beginning of the book of Revelation, we find the Apostle John living on the rocky island of Patmos, located 40 miles from the coast of modern-day Turkey. Great persecution was sweeping across the Roman Empire, and a now elderly John was sentenced to a life of exile.

It happened on a Sunday. John was in prayer when he heard a voice “like a trumpet.” The voice said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” (Rev. 1:11)

John turned to see who was speaking, and he got the shock of his life. There before him stood the glorified Jesus! The Lord’s appearance was beyond description and so overwhelming that John passed out and fell at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus raised him up and told him, “Don’t be afraid. Write down what you see.” 

Then John saw Jesus holding seven stars in his right hand and walking among seven lampstands. The seven stars, Jesus said, were the “angels” (likely the pastors) of seven churches, and the lampstands were the seven churches. 

Then Jesus, the Lord of the Church, brings a specialized message to each of those seven churches.

When John completed writing down his revelation, it would have been smuggled to the mainland and circulated from church to church to church.

• Ephesus: the Forgetful Church

• Smyrna: the Suffering Church

• Pergamum: the Compromised Church

• Tyatira: the Wayward Church

• Sardis: the Slumbering Church

• Philadelphia: the Persevering Church

• Laodicea: the Lukewarm Church

Over this series, we’re going to look at the letter to each church and ask the Lord what He has to say to us and what He wants us to do.

Text: Revelation 1

Originally recorded on April 14, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.

We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.