Church Be Ready

•The book of Revelation was written to real churches facing real problems, and those problems still exist in churches today.

•Jesus identified three categories of church problems: sin problems, heart problems, and churches that were on the right track.

•Churches with sin problems (Pergamum and Thyatira) had allowed false teaching to lead people away from holiness and toward the patterns of the world.

•Churches with heart problems (Ephesus, Sardis, and Laodicea) had either lost their first love, become spiritually dead while appearing alive, or grown dangerously lukewarm.

•The churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia were commended for their faithfulness under pressure and their commitment to the mission of God.

•Jesus stands at the door and knocks — the invitation to repentance, renewal, and restored relationship is always open.

•The church is not a building or an institution. It is the gathered people of God, and its readiness for Christ's return matters eternally.