The Church in Ephesus
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Historical background
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Read Revelation 2:1-7
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
“ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
Reminders:
Written by the exiled John in 96 ad
Domious was Caeser
40,000 Christian killed
Paul, Peter and Timothy Killed
Worship of Caeser is mandated by law. They built temples to his worship.
Monotheistic culture
Ephesus
Of the 7 churches, Ephesus was the largest and most prominent city. Of the times, it was like a Beijing, or Los Angeles .
It was a largest harbor in Asia Minor and because of that, it was the central location for trade and commerce. 3 major highways leave the city spreading all of the goods and services throughout eastern Europe and Asia.
It was a busy, thriving city.
It was also home of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. the temple of Artemis. The fertility god. The rituals and practices of this temple, I will not speak of from this stage.
It was has the largest temple to worship Dominus.
In order to enter into the main trading hub, the main market place, you had to pass by the alter to Dominus, sprinkle incense and say “Dominus is lord.”
Ephesus was a very pagan and metropolitan city.
And this is where we find this little church of believers in Ephesus. Founded by Aquila and Priscilla. Pastored by Paul for 2 years, Timothy and Apollos before John.
It was a well established, well pastored church. But it was also located in one of the hardest cities to be a Christian during that time.
You can read about its founding in Acts chapters 18-20.
You can read 2 New Testament books written to the Church in Ephesus, the book of Ephesians and the book of 1 John.
If you get a chance to read through these, you would see three main ideas that are consistently taught and reinforced through out these passages.
Unity of the body, hold to truth and everything is about love.
In the Acts passage, Paul warns about false teachers like wolves in sheep's clothing and holding to the truth that was taught to them.
In Ephesians, Paul teaches them about staying unified in the middle of spiritual warfare. He reminds them that they are not warring against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers and dominions.
In 1 John, John teaches them that it is all about love. That God is love. That they will know us by our love. How if you don’t love your brother, the love of God is not in you. How we wouldn’t even know love if God hadn’t sent His Son into the world to die on our behalf. How there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
These are all written to this church in the center of the paganistic, metropolitan, who have been shut out of the market place because they cant say that caesar is lore, and all of their leaders have either been crucified, beaten or exiled.
This is the church that Jesus is telling here in Revelation that “I know your works, your toil and your patience endurance...”
This is the church that needed to be reminded that Jesus, the head of the church, is walking among them and holding them in His hands.
The words “I know” means more than a head knowledge in the original Greek. It means “I am intimately aware and share with you. Personal knowledge.” Jesus is saying, I am personally engaged and sharing your works, your toil and your difficulties.
As a church as we strive to make a difference in this community and in this county, first of all, we should thank God that we are not fighting and oppressed like the church in Ephesus. Second of all, we can take heart that that does not mean that Jesus isn’t here with us with a personal knowledge of hardship and sacrifices that are being made for this church.
Point #1
If you are striving and fighting for the Kingdom of God, He KNOWS what you going through.
If you are fighting for your kids to stay on the path of God in an increasingly pagan society, Jesus KNOWS.
If you are fighting for your marriage to survive through difficult times, Jesus KNOWS.
If you are being treated differently in your workplace or friends or families because you are pursuing Christ, Jesus KNOWS.
If you are a teenager and you are trying to resist the temptations of this world and live for Him, Jesus KNOWS.
Don’t get mad, don’t get frustrated, “patiently endure” knowing that you are not alone.
And if you conquer, according to verse 7, He will grant to you to eat of the tree of life, in God’s paradise.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Point #2
Hold to the truth.
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
“ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
Paul warned them in Acts and Jesus commends them in Revelation for holding to the truth. For holding teachers to the standard of truth.
We are truly blessed to live in our times for this point because we have the Word of God, readily at our finger tips. We have the teachings, actions and life of Jesus within our reach. We have the teaching of the Apostles and the leaders of the early church in our hands.
It is clear that Jesus is telling His church to hold the teachers and apostles to the standard of truth in God’s Word. It is clear that Jesus find that very important and we have it way easier than they did! We have the Bible, they didn’t.
So, we must diligently hold our leaders, teachers and preachers to the truth in God’s Word.
Yes, I know that I am talking about me.
I am warning you, telling you, giving your permission to obey Jesus’ command here to hold me accountable to God’s Word. Do not just take my word for it. Filter everything I saw through His Word and hold it to the standard of truth.
I want you to hear my heart in this, one day, I will have to stand and give an account for the things that I teach and the things that I preach. I will be held to a higher standard. I passionately care about not saying anything or teaching anything that is false or does not align with God’s Word.
I do NOT want to do that.
So, I am giving you permission to ask questions. Ask me, where did I get that from. Ask me.
But remember this, please do it in love and out of love.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
I welcome conversations about God’s Word. I want to sit down with you over coffee or around a bonfire and discuss Biblical truths and doctrine with you. But we have to agree to do it out of love for God and love for each other.
By the way, don’t just do this with me. Do it with every book you read, every 30 second sermon on Facebook and Instagram, every conversation of advice, every meme that get shared. Filter it through God’s Word and hold to the truth.
Point #3
Love is essential.
But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
Jesus is telling them that they have gotten so busy in the doing, and the striving, and the toiling, and the enduring that they have forgotten that they have love-centered relationship with Jesus!
They have so focused on the actions that they have abandoned the person!
That they have fallen out of love with Jesus, the lover of their souls.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love of Jesus and the love of Jesus is absolutely essential to our Christian walk and to the ministry of this church.
Read the book of 1 John if you doubt this!
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Love is absolutely essential and Jesus says that if you do not correct this, if we do not have this as a church, He will remove our light and our lampstand.
But praise the Lord, He gives us clear instructions on how to correct this.
Remember from where you have fallen.
Jesus is saying remember back at the first? Remember back to a time to where you were so in love with Him? Remember back to a time that you felt closer to Him than any other time?
Maybe for you, that was your salvation experience. Maybe when you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you were so overwhelmed by His love for you and you were so in love for Him that you were on fire for Him. You were passionate about doing that we asked. You told everyone about Him. It was all that you could think of and He was so so real to you.
Maybe for you it was during a difficult time in life. You were hurting or those around you were hurting and things were completely out of your control but you were met with the great comfort and love of Jesus. And He lovingly carried you through one of the hardest times of your life. And you just knew that the lover of your soul had you. You knew He loved you and your love for Him grew.
Maybe for you it was a camp or retreat or time in your life of focus and energy. You were surrounded by believers and the Lord showed up in your life and you were surrounded by His love in a way you will never forget.
Jesus is saying remember. Remember what it was like during that time. Remember how you knew me. Remember how great it was. Remember how personal it was.
He is also saying, you have fallen. Fallen here meaning fallen into sin. Fallen into worry. Fallen into distraction. Fallen into complacency. Fallen into business. Fallen into turning to the things of this world over turning to Him. Fallen into a lifestyle that doesn’t honor Him. Fallen away from pursuing Him first in your life.
Jesus is saying remember but also, see what is getting in the way.
2. Repent
To turn away from the things that drive us away from God. to stop.
The word nobody likes to hear. The word that so quickly turns people away from Jesus. The word people reject.
You mean, I have to stop doing whatever I want whenever I want to??
You mean, my way isn’t the best way?
You mean, truth isn’t subjective to whatever I want my truth to be?
We act love to act like selfishness and not putting caring for other is one of the largest problems in our society today while acting like our own selfishness isn’t the largest problem in our own lives.
We hear repent and think about how terrible it will be to given things up.
But true repentance towards Jesus is one of the most beautiful words in this passage when you focus not on what you have to give up but on what you get to gain.
You get to gain closeness with Jesus. You get to gain forgiveness of sin. You get to gain the greatest love ever. You get to gain:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Yes, what a glorious thing it is to turn away from the things that get in the way of me and Jesus! Gladly, with joy turn away! Turn towards Jesus!! Run to Him! Whatever the problem, whatever the situation, whatever the trail, Jesus is the answer!
Repentance is a wonderful, wonderful thing because you’re turning towards Jesus!
3. Do things that you have done before.
There are not a list of rules to following Jesus but there are things in His Word that we can put into our lives to better our relationship with Him. There are disciplines that we can practice to improve our love for the Lord. That can draw up closer to Him.
How can you have a relationship with someone without talking with them?
Spend time in focused prayer. Not just talking but worshiping. With thanksgiving. Even listening. Be intentional about getting alone and talking with Jesus.
Read the book written by Him and about Him. Its the greatest autobiography out there! Study Him. See how He treated people. Meditate on His Word.
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
These are promises about His Word. Why wouldn’t you want to study His Word?
And get connected with other believers.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
You are not alone in this life, Jesus is with you. But He has also giving you a body of believers that we can do life together with!
We can stir up love for God and love for each other together.
We can do good works together.
We can encourage each other.
There are things that Lord has put in place, that He has instructed us to do, not just because He wants to control you or weigh you down but so that you can have life and have it abundantly.
Remember, this is all so that you can restore your love-centered relationship with the Lord. He is always with you. He never leaves you.
But we allow things to get in the way. We move away from Him.
But isn’t it great that Jesus gives us a clear path to return to Him.
This is Jesus’ message to church in Ephesus. This is Jesus message to us.
During this next song, the alter is open for you to remember, for you to repent, and for you to return.
But maybe you are here and you know that you have never even started a relationship with Jesus. You have never experienced the Love of Jesus in your life.
Well, I want to invite you to do that today.