God's Letter to the Church

GOD'S LETTER TO THE CHURCH TEXT: Revelation 1:10-21; Matthew 16:18 SUMMARY: God's letter to the churches in Revelation, if it is to have its necessary effect on us, must be read through the eyes of John, as he fell in fear like a dead man at the feet of the glorified Christ. I. THE NATURE OF THE LETTER. A. Its origin. B. It's Urgency. II. THE AUTHOR OF THE LETTER A. John, the Human Instrument. B. Christ, the Divine Author. III. THE RECIPIENTS OF THE LETTER, vv. 17-21. A. The Church Identified. 1. The Universal (Invisible) Church defined: see 1689 Confession, 26-1; Westminster Confession, 25-1) -The Invisible Church has a sure Foundation and Builder. -The Invisible Church has Opposition. -The Invisible Church Perseveres. 2. The Local (Visible) Church defined: see 1689 Confession, ch. 26-3; Westminster Confession, 25-5] B. The Church Examined. Who are the individuals referred to as "angels"? -Heavenly beings sent out to the churches as God's messengers? -Human messengers sent out to carry the letter [the book] to the seven churches? -Guardian angels, one for each congregation? -A Pastor, an elder or a group of elders, who are messengers of God's Word to their congregations, and carry some responsibility for their welfare? C. The Church Exhorted. The letters are written: 1. to "the angel," probably a pastor or group of elders. 2. to the visible church on earth as a whole. 3. to specific local churches. 4. to individuals within the church.