“Seven Marks of a Healthy Church”: Mark #2 – Fearless Faithfulness
Main idea: In the face of hardship, the struggling church is summoned to resist fear and remain faithful by trusting in the power, perspective, and promises of the risen Lord.
Outline:
- Two complementary exhortations (Revelation 2:9-10)
- Resist fear (v. 10a)
- Remain faithful (v. 10b)
- Three sources of encouragement (Revelation 2:8-11)
- The power of the risen Lord (v. 8)
- The perspective of the risen Lord (vv. 9-10a)
- The promise of the risen Lord (vv. 10b-11)
Secondary sources cited:
- Jeffrey A. D. Weima, The Sermons to the Seven Churches of Revelation: A Commentary and Guide (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2021).
- John Piper, Providence (Wheaton: Crossway, 2020).
- Justo L. González, The Story of Christianity, Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (New York: HarperCollins, 1984).