Episode 649 Revelation and Resistance: The Letters to the Churches (Revelation 2:1-7 & 3:1-22)

This week we’re continuing our series on Revelation and Resistance with the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2:1-7 and 3:1-22. We note that most of the churches receive both praise and admonition from Jesus, celebrating what they have done well but warning them against their shortcomings. But we also notice that in these letters appearances can be deceiving. Those churches that appear poor and powerless are said to be wealthy and powerful in the kingdom of God, while those that appear to be wealthy and successful make Jesus want to puke. While Jesus is addressing the churches of Asia minor, the repeated phrase, “let those who can hear listen to what the Spirit is saying” suggests that these letters are meant for our communities, too. What would Jesus want to celebrate about our communities, we wonder, and what how might he critique us? How do we appear from the Empire’s perspective, and what might look like in God’s eyes?