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Revelation 2:7, Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. 

John’s first vision from the risen Lord includes messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor.  We can think of these as “love letters” of sorts.  Remember, Jesus knew the churches inside and out.  He knew the pastors, the participants, the struggles, and the joys.  He loved each church very much and wanted them to be effective and fruitful.   

Each church letter starts with this message, “to the angel at the church of…”  Who were these angels?  In the ancient Greek, the word angel is usually translated messenger.  Who were the messengers?  Most scholars agree that the messengers would have been the pastor of the church.  As the shepherd of the flock, they were to bring the message to the people.  The message itself was from Jesus.  He is the one who holds the seven stars and walks among the lampstands (referring to the churches), he is the first and the last who came to life again, he is the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword, and he is the one whose eyes are blazing fire and feet are burnished bronze.  These may not be typical images we have for Jesus but they give us another perspective of our Lord and Savior.  Remember, he is the one who will return to defeat Satan and conquer evil forever.  He is the lamb of God but he is also so much more. 

Each love letter to a church also lists the things the church is doing well (compliments) and things that are going wrong (criticisms).  Remember, Jesus wants to encourage them but he also wants them to be who they are called to be.  Kind of like our children, we want to see them grow and thrive and so discipline is important.  We all need accountability.  Without it, we will drift away from God.  Because Jesus loved these churches so much, he provides them the remedy to fix whatever their problems were.  At times, his words seem harsh.  They need to be.  This is a matter of eternal importance.  It’s urgent. 

The letters close with a commitment from Jesus.  We find one of the commitments in our focus verse for today.  To those who have ears to hear, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to them.  This means not simply hearing it, but heeding it.  If they do, then Jesus gives them a promise.  In this case, it’s to eat from the tree of life, which means to have eternal life with God.  The paradise of God could be thought of as heaven.  Think of what the first hearers of this message must be experiencing.  How they needed to focus on this promise!   

What about you?   

Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Your words are powerful and true.  Help us hear what it is you want us to hear and heed it.  Help us apply your truth to our lives in ways that make a difference for your Kingdom.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.