The One Who Walks Among the Lampstands (Revelation 2-3)

Part 2 of “God Wins: The Message of Revelation” || OCTOBER 26, 2025 || GLYNWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH, PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA || JAMES JACKSON, PASTOR

Good morning. Please open your Bibles to Revelation 2.

If you stayed for our lunch and learn last Sunday, you heard from Larry Hyche, who talked to parents and students about some of the defining characteristics of the different generations. And as I’ve processed this week, I noticed something pretty amazing— a common thread that is running through every generation. And here it is:

In every generation, a blue cartoon dog rises up to guide that generation through its childhood.

Think about it: If you are a Boomer, you had Huckleberry Hound. He taught you to hum your way through life, and to not be ashamed of your Southern accent.

If you are a Millenial or Gen Z, Blue taught you how to sit down in your thinking chair and think, think, think.

Gen Alpha, you actually got two: Chase from Paw Patrol— no problem too big, no pup too small (though if you are a purist, you’ll argue that only Chase’s uniform is blue, not Chase himself.) But no worries. You also have Bluey, who reminds you that your family is always there for you.

Now you notice that GenX didn’t get a blue dog. Gen X just got… Scooby-Doo.

And come to think of it, that’s kind of on-brand for us. No cool headquarters like Paw Patrol. No comfy home like Blue. No siblings or parental figures like Bluey— just a bunch of latchkey kids, piled into a creepy van, wandering around in the dark and bumping into monsters that turned out to be adults wearing masks.

No wonder we have trust issues.

And maybe that’s why our generation in particular has leaned into the idea of Revelation as one big mystery to be solved, full of monsters we bump into in every chapter.

But instead of squinting blindly at Revelation like Velma when she loses her glasses, we ought to look at it like Steve and Blue from Blue’s Clues. Because in every episode, Mailbox pops through the window and delivers a letter to Steve and Blue. And they sing— “We just got a letter… wonder who its from?”

And that’s the book of Revelation! In Revelation 2 and 3, seven churches just got a letter—from Jesus Himself. And every one of those letters ends the same way:

‘Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

So today we’re opening the mail. We’re going to look at the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3. Then we’re going to sit down in our thinking chairs and think, think, think. Because  each of these seven letters has a word of wisdom for our church now. And the focus isn’t just on the letters—it’s on the One who sent them.

You’ll notice when you look at these letters that they follow a distinct and similar pattern:

•     A description of Christ drawn from Revelation 1

•     A word of commendation — what they are doing right

•     A Criticism for what they are doing wrong (“I have this against you”)

•     A correction— an action step for how to get back on track

•     A consequence if they fail to make the correction

•     A promise for the church that overcomes.

Now, there are two churches that Jesus doesn’t have anything bad to say about, and one church that He doesn’t have anything good to say about. But all seven letters contain the phrase, Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Raise your hand if you have ears. Great. So this is for you. Let’s stand if you are able to honor the reading of God’s Word. We will read the first one so you can see the pattern.

 ¹ “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. [Christ, and here’s the commendation]] ² “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. ³ I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. ⁴ But I have this against you, [here’s the criticism] that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; [correction] repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.[consequence] ⁶ Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. [Finally, look at the conquering promise] To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

[pray]

Now, the letters in Revelation 2 and 3 were written to seven actual churches, and they follow the route a messenger would have taken through Asia Minor. But this morning, I want to group them by theme—by how Jesus relates to His churches. We’ll start with the Faithful churches, move to the Fading church, and then the Failing churches.

There are two churches Jesus doesn’t correct — only encourages: Smyrna and Philadelphia. Both were small, both were suffering, and both were steadfast.

Let’s start with Smyrna. We read their letter in 2:8-11. Jesus begins His letter with a reminder of who He is: “The first and the last, who died and came to life” (2:8). That’s not random. He’s saying, “I’ve already been where you’re going. I’ve already beaten what you fear most.” The believers in Smyrna lived under constant threat — poverty, persecution, even prison. Yet Jesus says, “I know your tribulation and your poverty — but you are rich.”

There’s comfort in that, isn’t there? Jesus doesn’t measure the church by its budget, building, or attendance. He measures by faithfulness.

See, the world saw Smyrna as poor. They were economically marginalized, According to scholars, Smyrna’s “poverty” likely reflected the economic marginalization Christians suffered. The trade guilds based their membership on worship of various Greek gods, so if you were a Christian and refused to offer incense to the patron God of the guild, you were excluded.

But what the world calls poor, God calls priceless.

And notice what He doesn’t promise. Verse 10 does not say, “Do not fear, because I’m not going to let you suffer.” What He says is, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer.” Faith doesn’t make life easier. It makes it endurable.

Then comes the charge: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” The world crowns the powerful; Jesus crowns the persevering. Smyrna shows us that God wins when His people stay faithful under fire.

Now, turn to Revelation 3:7-13 and we’ll look at Philadelphia — the other faithful church. They weren’t big either, but they were steady. Jesus introduces Himself as “the Holy One, the True One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut.” That’s His way of saying, “What I start, no one can stop.”

He tells them, “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” That “open door” wasn’t about escape; it was about opportunity. In verse 8, Jesus says to them, I know that you have little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. So what they lacked in status, they made up for in perseverance. They’d kept His Word and not denied His name.

I think of so many churches like that — maybe they don’t make headlines or host conferences, but they keep loving, giving, praying, and sending. When other churches fade or fail, the faithful church just keeps going.

And to them, Jesus says, “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (3:11) Hold fast. Don’t quit. Don’t let fatigue or fear loosen your grip.

Both Smyrna and Philadelphia remind us that the victory doesn’t go to the fastest or flashiest. It goes to the faithful. God wins when the church endures. The God who walks among the lampstands still sees endurance as victory.

The Fading Church — God Wins Through Renewal

(Revelation 2:1–7, ESV)

If Smyrna and Philadelphia were small and struggling, Ephesus was the opposite—big, influential, and established. It was the gateway city to Asia, famous for its harbor, its library, and its temple to Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It’s also the only church in Revelation that we know was planted by the Apostle Paul himself.

This was a flagship church. Paul served there for three years. Timothy pastored there after him. Even John—the author of Revelation—likely ministered there before his exile on Patmos, and tradition says he settled there after he was released from exile. So Ephesus had deep roots and solid doctrine.

And that’s where Jesus begins:“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil… I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.” (vv. 2–3)

If we were grading churches, Ephesus would get straight A’s in theology and perseverance. They were discerning. They could sniff out false teachers a mile away. They worked hard and didn’t quit.

But then comes the heartbreak in verse 4:

“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”

The Ephesian church was active for God, but  affection for God. They had truth, but they’d lost heart. They were actively doing the work of the Lord, but they seem to have forgotten the Lord of the work.

It’s sobering that Jesus doesn’t say, “You’ve lost your faith.” He says, “You’ve lost your love.” That’s the danger of a church that’s been around a while—it can run on the fumes of past passion.

Then comes the cure: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” (v. 5) Three steps: remember, repent, return. Remember what it was like when grace was fresh. Repent of letting routine replace relationship, or preference replacing passion. Return to simple obedience.

And then the warning: “If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” For all their orthodoxy, they were in danger of losing their light.

The saddest thing is, that is exactly what happened. Ephesus had everything — resources, reputation, theology, and history. But when love grew cold, the light went out. Today, Ephesus is a tourist destination, not a church.

And it stands as a monument to what happens when a church forgets its first love.

But even in correction, there’s grace. Verse 7 ends with the same promise as every letter: “To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

God wins when the church is renewed!

Even in a fading church—when hearts are rekindled, and love burns bright again, the church is renewed, and God wins.

Transition:
We’ve seen what God had to say to two faithful churches — God wins through endurance.

We’ve seen what He said to a fading church — God wins through renewal.

Now let’s see what He says to the failing churches.
Because even when a church has failed, Jesus still writes… and He still calls

The Failing Churches

When you read the letters to Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis, you notice a pattern. Jesus isn’t dealing with persecution now—He’s dealing with pollution.

•     Pergamum (2:12-17) had allowed false teaching to creep in.

•     Thyatira (2:18-29) tolerated sin in the name of love. They were putting up with a false teacher (a woman named Jezebel) who claimed to be a prophetess but was leading the church to practice sexual immorality.

•     Sardis (3:1-6) had the reputation of being alive, but was spiritually dead.

Three churches, three forms of failure—compromise, corruption, and complacency.

But even here, Jesus doesn’t give up on them.

• To Pergamum, He says, “Repent, or I will come to you soon and war against those who are tolerating false teaching (v. 2:16)
• To Thyatira, “I gave Jezebel time to repent, but she refuses
• To Sardis, “Wake up, and strengthen what remains.”

Every one of those warnings carries mercy. Judgment isn’t Jesus slamming the door—it’s Him knocking one last time.

And then we come to Laodicea, the most famous—and perhaps the most tragic—of all the seven.
Laodicea was a wealthy city known for its banking, black wool, and eye salve. They had everything they needed… except awareness of how poor they really were.
Jesus says, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm… I will spit you out of my mouth.” (3:15–16)

We often think “lukewarm” means halfhearted, but in Laodicea, it was also a geographical picture. Nearby Hierapolis had hot springs for healing; Colossae had cold springs for drinking. Laodicea’s water came from an aqueduct—and by the time it reached the city, it was tepid and full of minerals. Useless. Undrinkable. Jesus uses this metaphor to expose what they’d become.

They thought they were rich, but He says, “You are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (3:17)

And yet—here’s the beauty of the gospel—even His harshest words are invitations to grace. Look at 3:19:
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” (3:19)

Then comes one of the most tender pictures in all of Scripture:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (3:20)

That’s not a call to unbelievers—it’s a plea to His own church. They’d shut Him out, but He’s still at the door. Still knocking. Still willing to come in.

And the conquering promise that follows takes your breath away:

“The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (3:21)

God wins when the church repents.

Even Laodicea, the one church Jesus had nothing good to say about, could still overcome. Could still sit on a throne.
That’s the mercy of Jesus.
That’s how God wins—through repentance.

So what about the church today?

IV. The Church Today — God Wins Through Obedience

Every letter ends the same way:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Seven times.

It’s Jesus’ way of saying, “Don’t just read these words—respond to them.”

Because faithfulness isn’t just endurance or renewal or repentance. It’s obedience.

•     The faithful churches were called to endure.

•     The fading church was called to return to its first love.

•     The failing churches were called to repent.

And all of them were called to obey the voice of Jesus.

That’s what it means to have ears to hear.
It’s not  information—it’s  transformation. It’s hearing the Word and doing what it says; it’s listening when the Spirit convicts and responding when Jesus calls.

So if Jesus still walks among His churches—and He does—what would He say to ours?

What if there were one more letter—an eighth letter—and it began,

“To the angel of the church in Prattville, write these words…”

What would it say?

Would He commend our love and generosity?
Would He correct our apathy or complacency?
Would He tell us to remember, or to repent, or to hold fast?

I don’t know exactly what He would say— I don’t presume to put words in Jesus’ mouth. But I think I know what He wants:

•     A church in Prattville that endures when the world pressures us to give up.

•     A church in Prattville that renews its love when passion grows cold.

•     A church in Prattville that repents quickly when sin takes root.

•     A church in Prattville that listens and obeys.

The same Jesus who walked among the lampstands in Revelation 1 still walks among His churches today.
The same voice that spoke to Ephesus, Smyrna, and Laodicea still speaks to us—if we have ears to hear.

Because God still wins—in every heart, every home, and every church that listens and obeys.

Invitation: “He Still Walks Among His Churches”

As we come to a time of response, let’s take this from the church level to the personal level:

Maybe you feel like Smyrna—faithful but weary.

Maybe you feel like Ephesus—doing all the right things, but your love has cooled.

Maybe you feel like Laodicea—lukewarm, just going through the motions.

Wherever you are, the same Jesus who spoke to those churches is speaking to you.
He’s still saying, “Be faithful.”
He’s still saying, “Remember and return.”
He’s still saying, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

“Lord Jesus, this is Your house. Come in. Walk among us. Reignite our love. Make us faithful again.”

As we sing “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior,” let’s make it our prayer—both individually and together.
If you need to pray, the altar is open.
If you need to come to Christ, He’s waiting.
Don’t let Him pass you by. Listen for His voice—and open the door.

[Invitation]