Exams can be useful. If you go the doctor and he examines you, it is because you are either preventing something worse from happening or else you want to stop something unhealthy happening. When you sit for an exam at Uni, it helps you to see where you are lacking and so you can improve and be a better practitioner of your chosen profession.

The 'Letters to the churches' in the book of Revelation are like sitting an exam to test the life of the church of God. Jesus is said to be 'walking among the churches' (Revelation 2.1). He is present when we gather. The purpose for which Jesus examines the churches to encourage, admonish and motivate the church to be faithful to Him. Over the next eight weeks, we are asking God to test us. Examine us so that we can see whether we are doing OK, whether we are faithful and how we can improve.