The Letter to Ephesus Rev. 2:1-7

Introduction

Revelation is the only book that promises a blessing both to read and to hear it

Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

The First 3 chapters of Revelation introduce to us 7 churches in Asia Minor who under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit on the Isle of Patmos, John wrote them each a letter from Jesus who loved the church so much he died for it.

Revelation 1:9 “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Each letter is different and each include some things they were doing well and some things that they must improve on.

The churches who were written a letter were:

Ephesus - written a letter by the Apostle Paul as well (The Book of Ephesians)

Smyrna

Pergamos

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelphia

Laodicea

Revelation 1:10–11 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”

In Revelation 1 it calls the churches candlesticks

As the Church we should be lights that shine in the world, the darkness of the world is heavy but we as Christians who make up the church should let our lights shine to the world that we live in.

Philippians 2:15 “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

I think a lot of Johns mission here was to remind the church of their mission and vision that Jesus Christ had given them.

The Church Introduced vs. 1a

The first church of the seven addressed is the Church at Ephesus.

Ephesus is the only church recorded in the New Testament to receive 2 letters

They recieved a letter from the Apostle Paul, in our Bible its called the book of Ephesians.

In the Book of Ephesians there are few if any references to problems in the church

This letter is addressed to the Angel or Messenger of the Church at Ephesus.

It is believed that a church could have an Angel assigned to guide individual churches.

One commentary said this “Pastors and Elders come and go, but the angel of the church can continue as long as the church lasts.”

Ephesus was an important seaport on the Aegean Sea where the Apostle Paul spent a long time. Acts 20 tells us he spent at least three years there with them, preaching night and day.

The writer of the letter vs. 1b

We know the writer of the Book of Revelation was John, but if you have a red letter edition Bible you’ll see this whole portion of scripture is red showing that it was Jesus speaking.

We will notice that on the surface that this church looks really good to the human eye, their issue was not a surface level issue and could go undetected even from those who were members of the church, therefore these letters had to come from Jesus, who is walking in the midst of every church, even if there are only 2 or 3 gathered there.

Notice that Jesus held the seven stars in his right hand

The stars are the Angels of the seven churches

Notice that Jesus walked in the midst of the seven golden candle sticks

The Golden candle sticks represent the Seven Churches who he is addressing

Revelation 1:20 “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

The Good deeds vs. 2-3

Here we see that the Church in Ephesus was doing a lot of things well

Jesus said I know your works

They were a busy church, name a ministry they probably had it.

From our view the church would look like a healthy, thriving church

I know thy labor

They were laboring for the Lord. They were inviting people to church, they were making sure the buildings were kept up with, they were checking all the boxes of a healthy church.

I know your patience

the word patience here means perseverance; constancy in labor or exertion

They were moving forward, again checking another box in the healthy church checklist.

I know how you can’t stand false teachers

They would try those claiming to be apostles and found them to be liars.

They were keeping false teachings from entering the church, there book store didn’t have books that taught something different from the word of God, their guest speakers were vetted before they ever made it to the pulpit, they were good at finding wolves in sheep's clothing.

False prophets were also a great concern to Paul

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

John had also warned against false prophets

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

This church did a really good job at keeping the false teachers out, just another sign of a healthy church.

You have borne (carried) and had patience (persevered) and in the name of Jesus you have laboured and not fainted (lost courage or spirit)

Jesus commended them for continuing in the work that he had left them to do.

Everything up to this point would show this church as a healthy church, but this church had a deep problem.

The problem vs. 4

From the outside looking in with our human eyes, this church seems to be right on track. Its checking all the boxes but here in verse 4 there is a shift.

Jesus says I have somewhat against thee

Somewhat means something

They had left their first love

All throughout scripture we are commanded to love God more than anything

Deuteronomy 6:5 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

Matthew 22:36–40 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

I truly believe this church hadn’t stopped loving God because they loved the world, really it was the opposite, they stopped loving God for their love for the things of God.

We must be careful that we don’t fall so in love with the doing the the of God for God, that we stop doing the things of God with God.

This church was doing all the right things, but they were doing it for themselves and not for God.

As a church we can do all the ministries, have all the programs, have the best facilities and none of those things would be wrong unless we were doing it for us and not for God.

The churches love for God stems out of the individual believers relationship with God. Its impossible to love God if your’e to busy to spend time with God.

We should have time with God everyday.

When is Jamie and my relationship at its best? When I spend time with her.

Our relationship with God is the same, we must spend time with God.

Have you left your first love?

The need of the Church vs. 5

They need to remember where they had fallen from and repent or turn back and do their first works which is to love God.

We all need to do some self reflection and find the time when we lost our love and turn back to Him.

The results of them not doing so is he would take the candlestick from the church unless they turned back.

There is still a remnant of biblical truth and practice in every church or else God would have already taken their candlestick.

The closing remarks to the church vs. 6-7

Jesus tells the they hate the Nicolaitans, just as he does.

Nicolaitans- means overcomers of the people

This is exactly what false prophets do, they desire to turn the peoples love to them, and away from God.

Christ hates both the deeds and the doctrines of the Nicolaitans and so should we

We are to overcome.

We are told to overcome the wicked one, and the only way we do that is by the blood of Jesus.

Conclusion

Have you left your first love?

Each letter has a special promise to those who overcome. Here the promise is to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.