The church at Laodicea was rich - but Jesus called them poor. In his letter to them, Jesus calls them to return to the true wealth that is in Christ alone.

The letter to the church in Philadelphia opens with Christ proclaiming His holiness - His perfect nature as God. He holds the key of David, which is a picture of authority. He alone can open the city of David to whomever He chooses, as He is the door to eternal life (John 10:7).

Ultimately, our walk is weighed by Jesus, not by others. The question we must ask of ourselves, and of our church is, 'what would Jesus say of us?"

In the letter to the church at Thyatira, Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of God because He is warning them as a judge. Although they were busy in service to Him, Jesus had against them that they tolerated false teaching. A woman named Jezebel was leading the congregation into sin, and they did not oppose her. Such tolerance is a false unity God hates. Still, God "gave her time to repent," but since she refused, He will punish her with death, and those who follow her with tribulation. God owns the church, and takes the life of its members seriously. The call is to repent, and God is merciful to give us time.

Jesus' words to the church reveal that He is concerned with the heart, not merely appearances. For this reason, He instructs them to rid themselves of the false teachers that had entered, enticing the congregation to adopt pagan practices. God also owns us today, and we cannot live in a state of compromise. We must serve either God or Satan; let us be faithful to God.

Smyrna is the only church in Revelation for which Jesus did not have a rebuke. A church in the thick of persecution, they are a model of constant love towards God.

Here we see that Christ reviews the Ephesian church - but not as we might review it. He looks at the internal heart of the church, and the motives of the people who gather. His review is as much a word to churches today.

In Revelation 1:9 - 20, John describes his vision of the risen Christ, and what it means for everyone. He explains the circumstances of his vision, the content, and the consequences for believers and unbelievers alike.

John opens his letter to the churches in Asia with a greeting, blessing them with God's grace and knowledge of the Trinity. In these four verses of Revelation 1:4 - 8, we hear much about God's nature and love for His people.

The first and last books of the Bible open and close the story of creation. In Revelation, we see the end of things when Jesus is revealed, and creation is restored. This book is, at its heart, a story about Him.