REVELATION 2:1-7
2. Jesus Christ is the One who walks in the midst of the churches or the golden candlesticks. This means...
• that Christ is present in the very midst of the church.
• that Christ sees and knows all about the church.
• that Christ is present to teach and grow the church.
• that Christ is present to provide and protect the church.
• that Christ is present to guide and direct the church.
• that Christ is present as the Light of the world to give light to the church.
Note also that Christ is in the midst of all the churches. He has no favorites; He shows no partiality whatsoever. There are no
denominations and no barriers with Christ. If a body of believers truly follows Christ, He is in their midst, right there with them.
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(2:
2-3) Church—Believers: there is the commendation. The church is commended for five significant things.
1. The church worked and labored for Christ. The Greek means to labor to the point of weariness, sweat, and exhaus-
tion; to work and labor to the limit of one’s ability. The church was a working church, a laboring church, a church committed
to serve Christ and to serve Him to the fullest.
Thought 1. There is no room for laziness or lethargy in the church of Christ. Christ expects every believer to labor
for Him, to labor to the point of exhaustion. Note that Christ keeps an account of our work and labor. The idea is
that He keeps a daily account: He knows every ounce of energy that we expend. He knows when we become tired
and exhausted and can go no more. He also knows when we should be working and do not.
“For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I
was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I
was in prison, and ye came unto me” (Mt.25:35-36).
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven” (Mt.5:16).
“That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate [give]” (1 Tim.6:18).
“But to do good and to communicate [give] forget not: for with such sacrifices God is
well pleased” (Heb.13:16).
2. The church patiently endured. The word means to persevere and to be stedfast in serving Christ and in standing
against all the temptations and trials of life. The church was stedfast in studying and proclaiming the gospel and in minister-
ing to the needs of the needy.
“Therefore, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as
ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor.15:58).
“In your patience possess ye your souls” (Lk.21:19).
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the
promise” (Heb.10:36).
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying
of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing” (Jas.1:2-4).
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of
life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (Jas.1:12).
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth
for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter
rain” (Jas.5:7).
3. The church could not bear those who were evil. This refers to sin and evil, men who were corrupt and polluted and
who lived for the world instead of living for God. The church could not tolerate the sin and shame, dirt and pollution, filth
and destruction of evil.
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Mt.5:8).
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor.6:17-18).
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of
the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor.7:1).
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them”
(Eph.5:11).
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw your-
selves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of
us” (2 Th.3:6).
“That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”
(2 Tim.3:17).
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb.12:14).
“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all
holy conversation [behavior] and godliness” (2 Pt.3:11).
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