Revelation: Lesson 6

Jesus’s Letters to the

Churches, Part 3
Revelation 3:7-22

Lesson 6 Questions
First Day: Read Lesson 5 Notes.
The notes and lecture fortify the truth of the passage for understanding and application to
daily life.
1. In what ways did the lecture inspire you to hold fast to the truth and promises of God’s
Word?

2. What commendations and warnings did you take to heart when reading the notes?

Second Day: Read Revelation 3:7-10.

Jesus addressed the church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7-10
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he
opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I
have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little
strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those
who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars
—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour
of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

3. a. What do the following terms that describe Jesus mean? (Feel free to use other Bible
passages for
your answers, in addition to those listed.)
Holy (Hebrews 7:26)
26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure,
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 set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
Jesus' holiness is more than just external obedience to God's law. It was more
than the absence of actual sin. His holiness was also a perfect submission to the
will of his Father. He said that he came down from heaven “not to do my will
but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).

True (1 John 5:20)

20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us
understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is
true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Jesus is the truth because He is not only the living and true God but also gives
us understanding to discern right and wrong.

Holds the key of David (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:19)

Isaiah 22:22
22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one
can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

Matthew 16:19
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will
be[a] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[b] loosed in heaven.”
Jesus holds the key to heaven and he has the right to forgive sinners of their sin or
punish them for their sin.

b. What do the key and the door that only Jesus control represent? (See also Revelation
1:18.)
Revelation 1:18
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!
And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
The keys of death and Hades.

4. For what did Jesus commend the church at Philadelphia? What do these verses infer the
believers in Philadelphia were experiencing?
Jesus acknowledged the church in Philadelphia that he knows their works and told
them “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.” This means when
the Lord opens a door for someone to hear His Word, nothing can prevail against it.

5. Who are those “who are of the synagogue of Satan”? (Compare Revelation 2:9 with 3:9;
see also John 8:31-47.)
The synagogue of Satan refers to the Jews who refused to accept Jesus as the son of God
who was sent to them to save them from their sin. The reason why they could not accept
what Jesus is tell them because they did not belong to God.

Revelation 2:9
9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the
slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 3:9
9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews
though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your
feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

John 8:31-47
Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

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 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you
are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free.”

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been
slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a
slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if
the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s
descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room
for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and
you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a]”

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham
did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the
truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the
works of your own father.”

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God
himself.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have
come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my
language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You
belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He
was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of
lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you
prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47
Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that
you do not belong to God.”

6. How will you stand for truth in a culture hostile to the Lord Jesus Christ and His people?
Recently, many people accused evangelists who were sharing Godspel while
donating the supply during the flood as individuals who bought civilians’ faith.
Sadly, one of my church members was also part of the accusations. She wrote bad
comments about the evangelists and share a negative post on her Facebook page
and sadly some people from church join in to give negative comments but I stood
up and explained in my comment that evangelists were sharing the Godspel
because they care and people and they were trying to save them from eternal
destruction and they should be thankful to the evangelists and the evangelists
were fulfilling God’s will. And I told them that I believe there will be many rewards
for the evangelists in heaven. Sadly, many people look for people’s approval but
not God’s but I will stand firm on the will of God and his words. The will of God is to
let people hear the Godspel and save the sinners.

Third Day: Read Revelation 3:11-13.

Jesus closed His address to the Philadelphian church with encouragement.
Revelation 3:11-13
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12
The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they

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leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the
new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on
them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.

7. a. From verse 11, what does a believer have to hold on to? What holds you secure as you
await
Jesus’s promised return to earth?
Jesus will give his salvation freely to those who accept him as the Lord and
savior but a crown will be rewarded to those who obey his command. The
believers need to hold on to the crown of good deeds. This means we need to
keep obeying and following God’s will as Satan might snatch our crown from us.
It like a race, it doesn’t matter how we start the race, we would become winners
only when we finish it successfully. In the same sense, we will be rewarded only
if we are faithful and obey the Lord God till the end.

b. What is the “crown” no one can take away? (See also 1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy
4:8;
James 1:12; Revelation 2:10; or other Bible passages.)
There are two types of crowns that we are going to receive in heaven. One of the is
the crown of life or salvation and the other one is the crown of righteousness. Among
them, no one can take away the crown of life but the crown of righteousness could be
taken away if we fail to obey God and do the right things until the end.

1 Corinthians 9:25
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to
get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

2 Timothy 4:8
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to
all who have longed for his appearing.

James 1:12
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the
test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to
those who love him.

Revelation 2:10
10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put
some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days.
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s
crown.

8. a. What promises did the Lord give to those who are victorious, and what does each
mean?
Jesus those promises to those who are victorious that
1. He will make them pillars in the temple of God and will never be moved. (A
pillar is something that is strong, unbendable, unbreakable, and permanent.
So, it means, your faithfulness in your trials and temptations shapes you into a
pillar that becomes stronger and stronger. You will become a pillar that can
also strengthen, bear, and be a support for others. In another word, you will be
a useful tool for God in transforming people lives.)

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 2. He will write the name of his God and the name of the new Jerusalem on them.
3. He will also write his new name on them. (Possessing the name of our
heavenly Father, the name of the New Jerusalem, and the new name of Jesus
suggests that believers will receive honors that abide eternally and become
part of God’s new family.)

b. Which promise means the most to you?

Both
c. What do you learn about Jesus in 3:7-13 that gives you confidence when you have
little strength?
Jesu judge our hearts not our actions.

Fourth Day: Read Revelation 3:14-18.

Jesus addressed the church in Laodicea.
Revelation 3:14-18
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the
other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out
of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But
you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to
buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so
you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
9. What stands out to you from the descriptions of Jesus in verse 14?
The phrase “ the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of
God’s creation.” Stood out. It means, Jeus is the source of God’s creation and all
the things Jesus says will come true because he is the faithful and true witness of
God since the beginning of creation.

10.What assessment did Jesus give the church at Laodicea, and what was His reaction to
them?
Jesus tells the Laodicean church that they are just like their water. He said “I know
your works: you are neither cold nor hot. I want you to either cold or hot! So,
because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my
mouth” This means, Laodicean people had a desire to please everyone. They do
not want to choose a clear side either hot or cold as they do not want to be hated.
Lukewarmness is the desire to please men instead of pleasing God.

11.a. Compare what the Laodiceans said about themselves to what Jesus said about them.
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do
not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

b. What are the spiritual consequences of self-deception?

Self-deception can: make it harder to grow and develop because we're not
seeing our flaws clearly. It also causes us to lose sight of who we really are and
what's real because we've been deceiving ourselves so long. Spiritually,
it erodes trust and integrity, creating an environment where sin can flourish.

c. What helps to keep your heart from growing cold toward God?

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 The desire to have a close relationship with God and curiosity to understand the
will of God.

Fifth Day: Read Revelation 3:18-22.

Jesus remained faithful to the Laodicean church amid His rebuke.
Revelation 3:18-22
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white
clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes,
so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I
stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in
and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I
was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them
hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

12.a. What are the true riches and white clothing Jesus mentioned? (See also Isaiah 1:18;
61:10;
1 Corinthians 15:53-54; and 1 Peter 1:3-7.)
Isaiah 1:18 (garment of salvation)
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.

Isaiah 61:10 (garment of salvation and garment of righteousness)

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

1 Corinthians 15:53-54 (garment of salvation or life)

53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with
immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the
mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has
been swallowed up in victory.”

b. What reward does Jesus promise to those who repent and are victorious?
Jesus said, “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my
throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

13.From verses 19-20, how do righteous rebuke and discipline express God’s love? (See also
Deuteronomy 8:5; Proverbs 3:12; 1 Corinthians 11:32; and Hebrews 12:10.)
God discipline us because he loves us. God disciplines us for our good, so that we may
share in his holiness and will not be finally condemned with the world at the end time.
God wants to save us and he wants us to be part of his kingdom that is why he is
sanctifying us.

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 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I
am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Deuteronomy 8:5
5
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God
disciplines you.

Proverbs 3:12
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.[a]

1 Corinthians 11:32
32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being
disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Hebrews 12:10
10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us
for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

14.a. What are some ways God disciplines His people? (See also Genesis 3:16-19; Matthew
18:15-17;
Ephesians 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; and Titus 3:10.)
1. God punish women by giving excruciating pian during the child labor and gave
them a desire to be with their husband and the husbands will rule over them.
2. God punish men by giving them hard labor to earn the necessities of life.

Genesis 3:16-19
16 To the woman he said,
“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.”
17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the
tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”

Matthew 18:15-17
Dealing With Sin in the Church
15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault, just between
the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will
not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be
established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If they still refuse
to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church,

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 treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Ephesians 6:4
4 Fathers,[a] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the
training and instruction of the Lord.

2 Timothy 3:16
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness,

Titus 3:10
10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that,
have nothing to do with them.

b. What is a Christian’s proper response to God’s corrective discipline? (See also

Hebrews 12:5-10.) How have you witnessed or experienced this?
When experiencing God's discipline, we should understand that we've sinned and take
His correction seriously. Instead of fighting the process, we'd be wise to cooperate by
strengthening our area of weakness so we don't fall again. The purpose of corrective
discipline is not punishment. The end goal of restoration is to see the person fully
restored in their relationship with God.

Hebrews 12:5-10
5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that
addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,

and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what
children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and
everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and
daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us
and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father
of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best;
but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

Sixth Day: Review Revelation 3:7-22.

Jesus honors fervent faith and rejects complacency.
15.What have you learned about Jesus’s desire for His Church in the past three weeks of
study? What have you learned about what He desires for you personally?
In order to become an overcomer
1. I must not abandon my first love. (This means whenever I serve the Lord, I
must complete the tasks with love and love other believers as brothers and
sisters.)
2. I must reject the works of the Nicolaitans which are the doctrine of Balam
and the prophecies of Jazabel. (That means I must avoid sexual immorality
and idolatry and if I don’t obey his warning I will suffer in the sick bed)
3. I must be courageous and faithful to the Lord Jesus until the end like Antipus.
(This means I must never reject the name of Jesus even if my life is being
threaten.

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 4. I must not be a person who is pretending to be alive but dead inside. This
means I must please the Holy Spirit who lives inside me and submit to God’s
will and avoid sins that disgust God. I must nurture the Holy Spirit inside me
and make it grow stronger each and every day by studying the word of God,
praying, serving and worshiping the trinity to have a close relationship with
them.
5. I must hold on to what I have must not be a lukewarm. This means I must be
the one who is not afraid to take a stand and the one who open the door for
the Lord. This means I must keep following the God’s will and try to be
righteous in the eyes of the Lord even though it is not going to be easy. I
must also bravely take a stand against the false teaching that will please the
world. In another word, I must not compromise the world.
6. To love and value the giver rather than the gifts. Riches that drive me away
from God are not true riches. So, if I am blessed with the riches, I need to
use them for the kingdom of God and help the poor.
7. If I become the overcomer I would receive the crown of life, the crown of
righteousness, a white marble that has my new name engrave on it, I would
be allow to rule together with Jesus in heaven and would be allow to eat the
fruit from the tree of life.

Passage Discovery (homiletics, word study, etc.) for Group and Administrative Leaders:
Revelation 3:7-2

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