Reflection on Revelation 3 - 2 | 沉思啟示錄 3 - 2

Author：Karen   Narrator：Liying

I finished studying the letters to the seven churches in Revelation today. The letters to the last two churches, Philadelphia and Laodicea, offer stark contrast. The church in Philadelphia received the commendation for its steadfast faith in the midst of a community that despised them. The church in Laodicea earned the LORD's rebuke for being lukewarm, a complacent and apathetic community. 

The LORD set before the Philadelphia church an open door no one could shut. Jesus opens the door of heaven for even the weakest believer who has little strength but trusts in Him. Jesus promised the Philadelphians that one day their persecutors would fall at their feet and acknowledge Jesus' love for His people. He sovereignly and personally preserves His people in their suffering.

At Laodicea, the LORD stood at the church door and asked to be admitted. Jesus promised restored intimacy if the door opened to Him. The LORD intends to be central in His people's lives.

Jesus reassured the Laodicean church His rebuke was evidence of His love. The picture of Him standing at the door knocking demonstrates His relentless pursuit of His people's heart.

What is your heart chasing after? I know my wishing list could be a catalog with infinite pages. Could this also be true for you? But do you see that everything this world offers will rust, wilt or decay. In the end, none of them will offer satisfaction and peace to your hungry and thirsty soul.

The LORD calls you to turn your back on lesser attractions, to fight and defeat the pressures of the world and the sin that remains within you. He delights to restore the repentant. He is able to change even deeply engrained patterns of sin. He can take someone who repents from the lowest depth to the highest heights. And He does not allow you to value this world's tinsel more than eternity' treasure. He will definitely not be satisfied with a casual, compromised relationship with you. He wants to remain as your first love forever.

The LORD gives great promises to those who depend on Him and His power to be victorious. He reprimanded Laodicea more harshly than any church. But I noticed that He gave this church the greatest promise, to sit with Him on His throne. This is an unimaginable privilege.

Can you picture yourself to sit with the LORD on His throne? It is not the naturally strong or self-sufficient who share in the LORD's future reign. The LORD made this promise to all who hear His voice and turn to Him.

"Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches" Revelation2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, 3:22.

This verse repeats seven times.

 

我剛剛讀完了啟示錄裏七封寫給教會的信，最後兩封寫給非拉鐵非教會和老底嘉教會的信，形成了鮮明的對比。非拉鐵非教會因為在鄙視他們的主流社會中持守信仰，受到主的讚許。老底嘉教會因為不冷不熱，是一個自滿且冷漠的群體，被主訓斥。

主耶穌給非拉鐵非教會設立了一扇門，這扇門開了就沒人能關上。主給軟弱至極，但是還肯相信祂的人，敞開了天堂的大門。主明確告訴非拉鐵非教會，有一天，迫害他們的人會在他們的腳前下拜，承認他們是被主所深愛的子民。主掌管萬有，親自保守忍受苦難的子民。

主站在老底嘉教會的門外叩門，要求進去。主耶穌應許，如果給祂開門，讓祂進去，祂就與他們重建親密的關係，主定意要成為祂子民生活的中心。

耶穌對老底嘉教會保證說，祂對他們的責備，是對他們愛的證明。祂站在門外敲門的場景展示出來的，是祂為了得到子民之心鍥而不舍。

我們的心都在追求什麽呢？把我自己期望的東西列個單子的話，不知道要用多少張紙，你的情況是不是也如此呢？這個世界所能提供給我們的一切，都會長鏽，衰敗，腐爛。到最後，沒有一樣可以給我們饑渴之心靈提供滿足和平安。

主呼喚我們回轉，不再追求那些不值得珍視的東西，祂要求我們戰勝外麵世界和內心罪性帶給我們的壓力。祂喜悅重建那些肯悔改的人，有大能改變我們根深蒂固的犯罪模式，把悔改的人從無底深淵提升到最高之處。祂不喜悅我們愛這世界上轉瞬即逝的東西過於永恒的財寶，祂絕不會滿足於和我們之間僅僅建立泛泛之交，祂要成為我們永遠的摯愛。

主最終應許那些依靠祂和祂大能的人，讓他們成為得勝者。祂對老底嘉教會的斥責，比對其他教會都嚴厲，但祂給老底嘉教會的應許也是最大的，祂應許他們得勝者可以和祂一同坐在寶座上。這真是無法想象的特權啊！

你能想象自己和主一同坐在寶座上嗎？不是那些天生的強者，或靠自己的人，將來與主一同作王。主的這個應許，是給所有聽見祂的聲音就歸向祂的人。

“聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！” 啟2：7,11,17,29 和啟3：6,13,22。

這同樣的經節重複了七次。