Letters From the Lord: "Ephesus"

Introduction:

We are continuing our series in Revelation 1-3 today.

In chapter 1, we got a very detailed description of our glorified Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we enter into chapters 2-3, we begin reading the seven letters to seven churches, authored by Jesus and written down by the Apostle John.

The letters from the Lord were for the churches of that day but they still apply to us today.

In these letters we see what Jesus desires for His church.

We learn what things in the church make the Lord glad and bring glory to Him and what things in the church grieve Him.

Jesus has some good things to say about His church but also some hard things that can sting. But He tells us these things because He loves us and wants the best for us.

So let’s take a look at the first letter from the Lord, this one is in Revelation 2:1-7 and it was addressed to the church in Ephesus.

[Read Text]:

Revelation 2:1–7 (NASB)

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6 ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

The good news...

‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary...

“your toil”

“perseverance” & “endurance”

“not grown weary”

“...you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false...

Acts 20:28–31 (NASB)

28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 “Therefore be on the alert...”

The bad news...

4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

What was their “first love”?

Jesus. Their love for the Lord had faded.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NASB)

5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Some, a lot, or even most does not equal ALL.

It isn’t that they didn’t love Jesus at all, it was that they have drifted because they were loving others things more than or in place of Jesus, “left your first love”.

They lacked faithfulness in their love.

If you have lost your “first love”...

Remember

5 ‘Therefore REMEMBER from where you have fallen...

The Greek word here literally means… “keep on remembering”

Paul planted the Church in Ephesus.

Acts 18:19–22 (NASB)

19 They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, 21 but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch.

Acts 19:1–20 (NASB)

1 It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7 There were in all about twelve men. 8 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.

They recieved an awesome letter from Paul that taught beautiful theology and doctrine…we know it was the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians 1:1 (NASB)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Timothy pastored the church of Ephesus.

1 Timothy 1:2–3 (NASB)

2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus...

Jeremiah 2:1–2 (ESV)

1 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness...

Matthew 24:11–12 (NASB)

11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.

Luke 22:19 (ESV)

19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in REMEMBRANCE of me.”

1 Corinthians 11:23–25 (NASB)

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in REMEMBRANCE of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in REMEMBRANCE of Me.”

Repent

5 ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and REPENT...

...or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you REPENT.

Webster’s 1828: Dictionary:

3. To change the mind in consequence of the inconvenience or injury done by past conduct. (Exodus 13:17)

[In Greek, “metanoeo” (repent) means to have a change of mind]

5. In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a Being of infinite benevolence. (Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19)

We agree with God about it and confess...

1 John 1:9 (NASB)

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

With the confession we ask for God to make the change complete.

Psalm 51:10–12 (NASB)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.

(We often feel bad for something but don’t make the change because the feeling wears off)

2 Corinthians 7:9–10 (NASB)

9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Redo

5 ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and DO THE DEEDS YOU DID AT FIRST...

Why does a fire die out? The wood burns up. So add more wood! That’s why we read, that’s why we pray, that’s why we worship, sing, praise, go to church. Add spiritual firewood!

Jeremiah 29:13 (NASB)

13 ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

1 Peter 2:2 (NASB)

2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

Psalm 5:3 (NASB)

3 In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

John 14:15 (NASB)

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

1 John 5:3 (NASB)

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.

Have you lost your first love today?

Has your love for Jesus faded?

Have you ever loved Jesus?

He loves you and died for you so that you could know His love, forgiveness, mercy and grace.

How are you going to respond to the Lord’s letter to you today?

Let’s pray.

Memory Verse of the Week:

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NASB)

5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Discussion Questions:

What does this Scripture teach us about God?

What does this Scripture teach us about man?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else in the passage stick out to you?