‘On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” a dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.’
Rev 1:10-15
When in prayer John heard a voice speaking to him, when he turned around he saw Jesus standing in the midst of the seven lampstands! When we read chapter 2-4 we understand the lampstands represents local churches in different places, this became known as the seven churches of Asia minor.
Jesus is standing in the midst of all these churches, He was not in just one of them or two. Not only in the oldest or the newest. He was in the midst of them. When reading about how He describes them we see He makes a different assessment to each one of them. But He was in the midst of them.
The interesting thing is how John describes what he saw when he turned around. He describes Jesus! Not the churches! He is to have preeminence in all things in the church. He have to be glorified all the time. Focus in the church is Jesus. His attributes, His work, His power and His glory.
We people so easily want to share a little of His glory, and sometimes churches wants to share His glory. The church is not the Saviour, Jesus is!
We can see Him in the midst of the lampstands but separate, He is not the lampstands! He is Jesus independent of the churches but still in the midst of them, but the church is not Him!
‘Lord, help us to rightly divide the Word of God and help us to see You always’
Matsjan
Så bra. The church is not the savior, Jesus is:) Amen