Thursday Bible Study

  {SEVEN LETTERS}   Find Us Faithful_   Revelation 3:7-13     “The letter to Philadelphia is a letter of undiluted praise.”   That’s  how biblical scholar, William Barclay,  summarises  it. There is no condemnation of the church found in the letter.  Philadelphia  represents  the faithful church and the faithful Christian. As Jesus speaks to these believers, he com mends them and encourages them, but not once does he have to rebuke them. The command “repent ”,  that appears  over and over  in these  seven  letters,  is absent from this one.  This is a church weak in itself but mighty in the Spirit.  It is a church Christ loves...     [Discussion starter question] How do we usually measure success in a church?   How do you think Jesus measures success?     The city of Philadelphia (the one in Asia Minor [ Turkey ] not in Pennsylvania, USA!) gained its reputatio n a...

  {SEVEN LETTERS}   Reviving a Dead Church_   Revelation 3:1-6     The church at Sardis had the reputation of being alive – vibrant, Spirit-filled, open to God’s work, obedient to God’s Word. But as Jesus looked at this church, he saw a deeper re ality. The church was not wicked or immoral, but dead, unresponsive to Christ.     [Read Revelation 3:1-6]     In verse 1, what was Jesus’ evaluation of this church and how did he arrive at that evaluation?     Do you think that you would have arrived at the same conclusion if you had been part of the church in Sardis?   Why?     [Activity] Jesus gives five commands to the people in this dead church (verses 2-3).   List the commands and explain what obeying each command might involve...   1]      2]     3]     4]     5]     Which of these commands do you think Jesus would speak to your church, and why?...