Revelation 2-3

“What does Jesus think of church?”

Scripture passage: Revelation 2-3

NOTE to leaders: I suggest using the New Living Translation (NLT) version of the Bible while teaching as it’s easier for children to understand. Keep in mind that it’s best to stay consistent with the version of Scripture used with the children each week.

Key Points: 

• Jesus overseas all the churches and sees all that we do
• What is Jesus saying to your church? What are the strengths and weaknesses in the children’s class/ministry?

Intro activity: As children arrive, give each child a notecard or piece of paper and marker(s). Ask them to think about the things they like more than anything else in this world. Have them make a list or draw pictures of the top three to five things they thought about. Be sure to collect the lists or pictures drawn by the children, as these will be used during the teaching time.

Preparation before class:

• Gather the needed supplies.
• Prepare the letters for each of the seven churches. Include: to whom the letter is written, whom the letter is from and the “call to change.”
• Set up seven stations (or locations) around the room that will represent the seven churches. One lampstand can be placed at each station. You may want to post a picture that represents each church and the message they received.

Supplies Needed:

• Paper or notecards
• Markers, crayons or pens
• Any costumes/objects created during the previous week’s class (Revelation 1); lampstands, sword, stars, etc
• Blue/white tack
• Whiteboard & markers (for memory verse)
• NLT Bibles
• Letters to the seven churches. Include the church name on the front, who it is from on the back and the message inside. Examples are below. (PDF – church letters)
  • Ephesus
    • To: Angel of the church in Ephesus
    • From: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and the One who walks among the seven gold lampstands
    • Message: It is good that you work hard and never give up. You don’t put up with sin, and you make sure that people tell the truth about Me. You patiently suffer without giving up. However, you have forgotten Me. You don’t love Me like you did at the beginning. Turn back to Me or I will take away your lampstand!
  • Smyrna
    • To: Angel of the church in Smyrna
    • From: The One who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive
    • Message: I know about your problems – how you suffer and how poor you are. I know that people are telling lies about you. Don’t be afraid. You are going to suffer some more, and some of you will be thrown into prison. But if you stay faithful to Me – even if it means you have to die – you will be rewarded. You will live with me forever.
  • Pergamum
    • To: Angel of the church in Pergamum
    • From: The One with the sharp two-edged sword
    • Message: I know where you live – in the middle of a very evil city. Even though there is evil and sin all around you, you have remained true to Me. Even when a faithful witness was killed in your city, you did not stop telling people about your faith in Me. But some of you are worshipping idols and doing bad things as part of that religion. You are listening to lies instead of following teachings that are true. You must change your hearts and lives or I will come and judge you with the sword that comes out of my mouth.
  • Thyatira
    • To: Angel of the church in Thyatira
    • From: The Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire and whose feet are like polished bronze
    • Message: I know what you’re doing. I know about your love and your faith. You have worked hard and haven’t given up. But you have allowed sin and false teaching into the church. Some people are already suffering because of their sinful lives and following false teachings. You must keep your faith pure and focus on Me. Hold on to the love and faith that you have. I will give power over the nations to everyone who wins the victory and continues to obey Me until the end.
  • Sardis
    • To: Angel of the church in Sardis
    • From: The One who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars
    • Message: I know all the things you do. People say that you are alive, but you are really dead. Wake up! Strengthen what you have left before it dies completely. You are just going through the motions, but your worship is not true. Change your hearts and lives and turn to me again. I will come back when you least expect it, and you need to be ready!
  • Philadelphia
    • To: Angel of the church in Philadelphia
    • From: The One who is holy and true, the One who has the key of David
    • Message: I know what you do, and I’ve put an open door in front of you that no one can close. I know that you’re not very strong, but you have obeyed the things I’ve taught you and are not afraid to speak My name. I will keep you from the trouble that the entire world will have to face. I will be with you and protect you. I will be your strength, and I am coming soon. Stay strong in your faith, and hold on to Me. Then you will be rewarded and will be a part of My family forever.
  • Laodicea
    • To: Angel of the church in Laodicea
    • From: The One who is the Amen – the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation
    • Message: I know all the things that you do. You are not hot or cold, but I wish that you were one or the other! You are like lukewarm water, and I will spit you out of my mouth! You say that you are rich and have everything that you need. You do not know that you are really worthless, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Admit what you’re doing is wrong, and turn to Me. I correct and punish those whom I love. Change your heart and your lives. I’m waiting for you to hear my voice and invite Me into your lives.
• Key or key card to a locked door in your classroom
• Kettle of hot water
• Pitcher of ice water
• Pitcher of lukewarm water
• Paper cups
• Bucket
• Towel
• Paper
• Prizes for learning the memory verse

Class agenda:

Pray (or allow a child to pray) for today’s lesson and for God to teach us His Truth.

Review:

Review the memory verse from last week: Revelation 1:8.

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.’”

(Revelation 1:8, NLT)

Review what the children learned from last week’s lesson: Revelation 1.

• Key points:
  • Jesus is the King.
  • God uses symbols to explain complex things.
• What did Jesus look like in heaven? (possibly show some of the photos of the leaders dressed up in the costumes the children made)
• Can anyone remember what the stars in last week’s story symbolize? (the angels – or messengers – of the seven churches)
• Can anyone remember what the lampstands in last week’s story symbolize? (the seven churches)

Today we will learn what message Jesus, our King, sends to the messengers of the seven churches. They were real churches in real towns and cities at that time. Jesus sent a message to each church … giving them both encouragements and warnings.

Read the Scriptures: Revelation 2:1. 

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands.”

(Revelation 2:1, NLT)

Discussion:

• To whom is this letter written? (the angel/messenger of the church in Ephesus)
• Who is this letter written from? Who holds the seven stars in His right hand? Who walks among the seven gold lampstands?

Tell the children to go stand next to the station where they can find the church of Ephesus. Have one of the children open the letter to the church of Ephesus and read the contents. (Be sure to have them also read to whom the letter is addressed and who sent the message.) What does this mean? The church was so busy working and trying to be good enough that they forgot to worship Jesus and love Him first.

Pull out some of the notecards (or papers) that children created during the worship activity. Read some of the items that were listed as the most important or show some of the pictures. (Don’t mention the names of the children unless they volunteer it themselves.) Discuss with the children about how important it is to love Jesus and put Him first above everything else in our lives.

Tell the children to go stand next to the station where they can find the church of Smyrna. Before reading the letter or talking about the church, ask the children to name some things that make them afraid. Then explain that we’re going to read the next letter. Ask for a volunteer to read. Take a few minutes to discuss the content of the letter. Notice that Jesus referred to Himself as the One who was dead but is now alive. There is no reason to be afraid – even of death – if we stay faithful to Jesus.

Move to the next station – the church of Pergamum. Before reading the letter or talking about the church, play a short game similar to “Two Truths & a Lie.” Instead of making three statements, have a child make ONE statement. The rest of the kids must guess whether it was a true statement or false statement. Allow several children a chance a play. Then ask for a volunteer to read the next letter. Talk about the importance of telling the truth.

Move to the next station – the church of Thyatira. Have one of the children open the letter to the church of Thyatira and read the contents. What does it mean to keep your faith pure? What are some ways that you can keep your focus on Jesus instead of following other people that you know are doing bad things?

Game (“Pushed and Pulled”): Form groups of four to six children. Have the people in each group link arms. Then choose one person in each group to face the opposite way from the others. Have the group travel together in the direction they’re facing. The one person facing the opposite direction tries to pull the group his or her way. After a few minutes, stop the game and ask them why it was difficult for the one person who was going in the opposite direction. Then play the game again with two people going in the opposite direction. It is easier to change the flow of the group when you’re not alone. Talk about ways that you can help one another stay faithful to Jesus – even when friends live in sin and follow false teachings. 

Move to the next station – the church of Sardis. Have one of the children open the letter to the church of Sardis and read the contents. Why did Jesus say that they were dead? What are some examples of someone who is just going through the motions without true worship? What does true worship look like?

Game (“Wake Up!”): Divide your children into groups to prepare for a relay race. One child must drag another child (who is “dead”) by his or her feet to a leader at the opposite side of the room. When they reach the leader, they will be told to “wake up!” The “dead” child stands up and both kids race back to their team to tag the next two children. The race continues until every child has been in both positions. The winning team is the one that finishes “waking up” their entire team first. 

Move to the next station – the church of Philadelphia. (If possible, place this station near a door – preferably one that can only be opened with a key or key card.) Have one of the children open the letter to the church of Philadelphia and read the contents. With the door locked, have some children try to open the door (without a key). They should not be able to get the door open. Then talk about how Jesus is telling the church of Philadelphia that He has the key, and He has opened the door for them. He will not allow anyone to close the door and lock them out. What is Jesus really telling them? What is the purpose of the open door?

Move to the last station – the church of Laodicea. (Next to this station should be a kettle with hot water, a pitcher of cold water, a pitcher of lukewarm water, cups, a bucket and a towel.) Ask the children which type of water they prefer to drink … hot, ice cold or lukewarm. Then have one of the children open the letter to the church of Laodicea and read the contents. What does it mean when Jesus tells them that they are lukewarm? What would a lukewarm “Christian” act like? Using the lukewarm water and bucket, let some of the children re-enact what Jesus says He will do to those who are lukewarm.

Memory verse: Revelation 3:21

Have the children move back to the center of the room and sit down. Tell them the memory verse for this week, and discuss the meaning of the verse. Then play a game to help the children remember it.

“Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.”

(Revelation 3:21, NLT)

The 8^thchurch: (your church name)

Today we’ve learned about the messages that Jesus sent to seven churches. Did you notice that Jesus gave encouragements and warnings to each church? Now we are going to talk about an eighth church – us! (As children answer some of the following questions, write down their answers on the white board.)

• What is Jesus saying to us at our church? What are we doing well? What do we need to do better?
• What about our children’s class/ministry? What rules or behaviors do we need to follow when we meet each week? (Be sure to write these down and keep a copy. They can be printed and laminated to post in the classroom.)

Prayer: Ask for several volunteers to pray for us as a church – that we will remember the warnings that Jesus gave the seven churches:

• Love Jesus first – above everything
• Do not be afraid to follow Jesus
• Follow Jesus’ truth and do not listen to lies
• Stay faithful to Jesus even when our friends live in sin and do bad things
• Wake up and turn toward Jesus – being truthful with our worship of Him
• Stay strong in our faith and hold on to Jesus
• Admit the wrong things we do and invite Jesus into our lives

Letter to Self: If Jesus wrote you a letter, what would He tell you about yourself? What are you doing well? What do you need to do better? Write a letter to yourself from Jesus … including encouragements and warnings. Take this home with you as a reminder. Maybe you can share this with your parents.

Allow children the opportunity to say the memory verse. Optional: Give prizes to anyone who can retell the memory verse without assistance.

Take-home: Provide a short handout for parents to tell them what the children learned today and their memory verse.