Reading: Revelation 2:1-29

Hopefully you’re familiar with the 1966 Spaghetti Western, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential westerns of all time. But. Regardless. If you decide to watch it, here’s what you can’t do. You can’t go into it thinking it’s going to be like a movie today. It’s nearly 60 years old. And writing has changed. Acting has changed. Cinematography has changed. References have changed. Italians made it.

Now. Ironically, the same thing is true as we look at John’s Revelation. It’s nearly 2,000 years old. So we can’t view it with a contemporary American lens. Additionally, it can’t mean to us what it didn’t mean to them (since it was written to the seven churches). But. Here’s why I bring up The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Because in chapter 2, Jesus is going to bring up the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly within 4 of the 7 churches that John wrote to.

Here’s how Jesus has John record it:

• To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: (2:1)
• And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: (2:8)
• And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: (2:12)
• And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: (2:18)

The word translated ‘angel’ there is the Greek word ‘angelos’ and it literally means ‘messenger’. It’s not who they are, it’s what they do. So it’s my view that these aren’t celestial beings, these are the pastors of the churches. There’s another example of this in Luke 9:52.

So. Jesus is initially addressing the pastors of these churches. He’s holding them accountable for their church’s behavior. Which. As a pastor, that’s terrifying. Because some of you all are crazy—how is that my fault? But. This is why Jesus’ half brother James says, “Not many people should become teachers because they’ll be judged twice as harsh.”

Nonetheless. Before you consider yourselves safe, Jesus will continue: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (v 7, v 11, v 17, and v 29) Here’s the big idea. What Jesus says through the pastors THEN, He’s saying to the churches NOW. And what does He say?

TO EPHESUS

• The Good: their works, their toil, their patient endurance; their testing of doctrine, intolerance of evil
• The Bad/Ugly: lack of love by declaring the gospel

TO SMYRNA

• The Good: poverty and fortitude
• The Bad/Ugly: fear of suffering

TO PERGAMUM

• The Good: suffering, refusal to deny Jesus
• The Bad/Ugly: idolatry, sexual immorality

TO THYATIRA

• The Good: their works, love, faith, service, and patient endurance
• The Bad/Ugly: tolerance, sexual immortality

The caution for us is, what would Jesus say to our church? Because we’re the church.

With Gratitude,

pLJ