The Seven Churches Of Asia 19

INTRO: We have now come to the last of the seven churches of Asia. If we are right that these churches show us what the Church age will be like, and we are close to right about the ages they show, this is the church that shows what we are like, so it is a most significant church for us to consider. If you will look at a map of these seven churches you will see we started at the Mediterranean Sea at Ephesus. We went almost due north a number of miles and we were now at the Aegian sea. Then we headed slightly east and inland and came to Perrgamos. Here we took a sharp turn and headed mostly east and a little south. From there we went to Sardis, and now we were heading mostly south and a little east. Leaving Sardis we now traveled southeast until we came to Philadelphia. From Philadelphia we move almost due south towards Laodicea.

The name Ephesus means to relax or let go, that which the Christian can never afford to do. Smyrna means bitter, and that is not because they were bitter, but they suffered bitter persecution. But the name comes from the word myrr, which was used to make perfume. And this church became a sweet smelling sacrifice for the Lord. Here Polycarp was martyred for the Lord.