Lampstands: Churches

Each of our churches are lampstands in a dark world. We are One Church in Christ; one family, but many members (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). In some places the lamp is being assailed by dark forces seeking to pour sand upon the brazers via shootings, censorship, and even outright burnings. The devil with his armies wants to put out the lamps, but we must not give him satisfaction! Our lamp stands must burn bright, even if our martyrs blood must drip down the vessel. 

In the last book of the Bible, our Lord Jesus Christ describes the various churches in Asia Minor as lampstands (Revelation 2:5). Each church has a different package in the Great Persecution to come. 

There are those destined to be spared tribulation: 

“Because you have kept My command to endure with patience, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) 

Those who will be tested:

 “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown.” (Revelation 2:10) 

And those whom Christ actually threatened to purge because of their evil: 

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.” (Revelation 3:14-19) 

Each lampstand has a different measure of how to burn for Christ, some from comfort, others from persecution, all must burn hot and not be lukewarm (Revelation 3:15). We are not just a brazers, we are God’s Bride (Revelation 19:6-9), best friend (John 15:15), and children (1 John 3), but the lampstand symbolism is important. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World,” and he told his disciples “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden, Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16). We are called to burn brightly, showing the world that  God lives in us and we live in God, “All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.” (1 John 4:15). 

The lampstands of God’s church are strewn across the globe. They are not just in Asia Minor or The Holy Land (Israel), but in Africa, Arabia, Armenia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Europea (England, France, Germany, Scotland, Ireland), Greece, Iceland, Iran, Indonesia, Italy, India, Mexico, Morocco,  Russia, Japan, Spain, Sweden, Malaysia, Norway, Pakistan,  Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, and United States of America. We are One Family in Christ! Let us shine together and be a light for Jesus Christ in a dark world! Amen.