The Letter to Ephesus: First Love

Introduction

How did we get here? - Tv show marriage breakdown illustration

Lampstand as gods light to the world

Poythress: The lampstands symbolize the churches in their light-bearing or witness-bearing function (1:20; Matt. 5:14-16). The churches are the reality to which the symbolic lampstands in the tabernacle and the temple pointed forward. Christ walks among the churches as Lord and Shepherd, just as God’s cloud of glory condescended to dwell in the tabernacle and the temple, which had their lampstands (Exod. 25:31-40; 1 Kings 7:49).

troubles contrast with rev 21

Church - Ephesus

Character of Christ - authority

Strength - doctrinal zeal

Problem - lost love

Duty - repent

Promise - tree of life

Commendation (Encouragement)

Revelation 2:2–3 ESV

“ ‘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.

Patience Endurance

Rejected Evil and false teaching

External threat - they are passing with flying colours - they are driving at night, being observant of the hazards on the road, checking the mirrors, watching for turning vehicles

Criticism (Rebuke/Warning)

Revelation 2:4–5 ESV

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.

Forsaken your first love

Internal threat - they have drifted from where they started and risk the end of the church - they are like the headlights of a car that slowly fade that you dont notice and one day you see it and go, how did we get here.

Consequence - lampstand removed

Poythress - Otherwise, Christ threatens to remove your lampstand (v. 5). He alludes to the fact that the city of Ephesus had had to change location because of the gradual silting up of its river, the Cayster. It had been “removed” from earlier locations. By analogy, Christ threatens to dislocate and restructure the church unless she repents.

Calling (Exhortation/Promise - Next steps/action)

Revelation 2:6–7 ESV

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.’

Repent - change the globes

Love

Hope - tree of life

What do we do when we get here? How do we respond the report card? How do we change?

What is the good news?

Revelation 1 intro

Tree of life

Jesus dwells with us

Jesus victory ofn the cross

Little things every day