Revelation Lesson 9: Seven Churches Introduced - Part II

As we continue our look at the resurrected Christ's seven-church letters in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, we discuss how their order coincides with Scripture's revelation about a progressive increase in apostacy, how they have a remarkable comparison with the seven inter-advent parables of Matthew 13 (the eighth parable in that chapter does not deal with the specific nature and characteristics of the period of time between Christ's two comings).  We also talk about how the churches are clustered by the first three and the last four, which again parallels what took place in actual Church history (you have to listen to understand). The seven literal churches of First Century Asia Minor are also representative of individual types of Christians, which makes them very practical for self-examination.  Incredibly, they represent the complete (i.e. the number "seven") Body of Christ and also the individual members of the Body of Christ.   We also get into a discussion about the purpose of the Church.  Is it to reach the entire world with the Gospel so Christ can then return?  If so, does this mean the Church is a failure, since evil men are waxing worse and worse, and Christianity is not taking over the world?