Revelation 2:1-7
Notes
Transcript
Please pray with me - friends if you are able, please stand for the reading of God’s word. Today we are reading from Revelation 2:1-7
Revelation 2:1–7 (CSB)
“Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet you do have this: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
This is the word of the Lord, please be seated.
The city of Ephesus was a thriving metropolis, and the premier city of Asia in the eyes of the Romans. Some scholars indicate that there was around 250,000 people who lived in Ephesus - similar to Sioux Falls -which in antiquity was almost unheard of. It was a thriving port town. One scholar I read wrote that Ephesus was much like Silicon Valley in San Fransisco - it was the place to be of innovation around this time.
Let’s take a little tour here, My friend Bill Kuhn does this when he preaches on the seven churches, and I think it’s helpful - so let’s look at some of the sites of ephesus - Here’s a map of Asia minor, with Patmos and the seven churches.
Zooming Into Ephesus, first It was home to a famous Library *picture of Library* which was rare in antiquity but speaks to the wealth, and home of academics in this time. also - we know from acts 19 that there was quite a plethora of witchcraft and “magic” scrolls. So Lots of pagan academia here.
There was a giant theater, like a lot of Hellenistic culture - speech craft, plays, debate, were a highlight of life. Look at the amount of seating there. This would have been a major hub in the lives of the ephesian people.
We also know that it was the home of a lot of idolatry. The Temple of Artemis - the roman god of fertility had a major temple here - here’s a render of what it would have looked like. Temple prostitution was common, and the temple of Artemis was extremely influential and wealthy being a key part of the economy of Ephesus.
Beyond then - Emperor Domitian declared Ephesus a “guardian” city and was home to the imperial cult - where they worshiped Caesar as god, and there was a temple to worship the emperor Domitian - there once was a towering statue of the emperor, which no longer remains, but here are the ruins - but this brought favor to Ephesus - and the towering person of Domitian would have overshadowed much in the city.
Beyond just the sociology - Ephesus had a full and storied history in terms of Christ and his Church. We know from Acts that Paul stayed for years in Ephesus, his longest tenure in church planting that we know of. They came head to head with the artemis cult so much so that the economy was shaken as idol sales plummeted! Ministry was so successful there, that Acts 19:10 says this:
Acts 19:10 (CSB)
This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
Ephesus was a beacon of the faith! Timothy, who was a disciple of Paul was a pastor and elder in Ephesus while Paul was in prison. Also it seems that John the disciple ended up making his home in Ephesus before being exiled to Patmos, and according to tradition Mary the mother of Jesus also lived in Ephesus as John was her caretaker after the crucifixion.
That’s quite a spiritual lineage - Paul, Timothy, John, Mary. Outside of Jesus that’s about as stacked as you can get.
It was to this powerful and wealthy city, a city full of history and story, and saints who did the works of God that Jesus commands John to write.
Let’s work our way through this passage, starting in Revelation 2:1
“Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
John is commanded to write to the angel of the church in Ephesus. We discussed this briefly last week on some of the suggestions of what specifically this means - however I believe in keeping in line with the apocalyptic genre of the book the word angel here means a spiritual angelic representative.
It’s easy to forget in our daily lives the spiritual and eternal ramifications of life. We will see in the chapters 4 and 5 the throne room vision - and I believe we are to see that the churches are supposed to reflect that heavenly reality in their lived experience - hence the angel of the church - we have representation in heaven , and we are called to see that reality in the here and now, made possible only through the indwelling and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus describes himself with a familiar image that comes from Revelation 1 - as the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand - which are the angels of the seven churches, and walks among the seven golden lampstands, which are the seven Churches. Jesus in is control, holding the power, and is intimately present. Not distant and unconcerned - but among his people as they shine in the world.
Verse 2 and 3, we see the commendations that Jesus has for the Ephesians church, let me read that
Revelation 2:2–3 (CSB)
I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name, and you have not grown weary.
Jesus, who is among the church, knows everything that is to know about the Ephesians. He lists that he knows what they’ve been up to - their works, their labor or toil, and even their endurance - and praises them for their intolerance of evil.
He says that the church has tested those who call themselves apostles, and have shown them to be false.
Ephesus, remember, was a hotbed for the supernatural - and as we studied in Acts over a year ago, people saw the Christians with the power of the holy Spirit, and some like Simon Magus, wanted the power, and the influence.
In our western world traditionally we have rejected the supernatural world - though this is changing i believe - but it’s important to keep in mind that throughout time and around the globe peoples have taken for granted the existence and influence of spiritual being and even have been able to demonstrate their “powers” and control of those the spirits.
But just because someone speaks with authority - calls themselves an apostle, even if they can do signs - that doesn’t make them an apostle by default.
But as the office of an apostle was one of high authority and respect, people have, apparently since the beginning of the Church, sought to wrongly claim that title for their own gain.
The Ephesians were able to see through the lies and discover the falseness in these Apostles.
They are praised for this, for protecting the doctrine of the church and not succumbing to the false teachers.
Interestingly enough - Ignatius, a church father who wrote in the second century, also notes and speaks well of the ephesian church in their diligent defense against false teaching.
The existence of false teachers has not ceased. Those claiming apostolic authority, falsely, has not changed. And the call to do the work and labor and endure and protect doctrine still matters and is still something that we are called to do.
Not all matters are worth dividing over when it comes to the faith. But in terms of the Gospel and gross and blatant sin - we need to be resolute in the truth.
Even that decision brings consequences - which it often does, for in verse 3 Jesus says that the Ephesians have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of his name - and have not grown weary.
So even when the going got tough, and when refusing to compromise cost them - they maintained the purity of following Jesus.
Remember in Ephesus - the temple of Artemis as a patron God, the shrine to the emperor Domitian - it would be difficult and costly to refuse to participate in a prominent piece of culture. And there was persecution. We know that from Acts - where there was such a riot in response to the Gospel’s spread that they were at risk of being charged by the romans for rioting and could have been punished!
When Christians live faithfully to Jesus and his gospel, his kingdom - we will always feel dissonance with parts of the world. And there will always be consequences. While it may not always be outright persecution as it is in many parts of the world, it will often be incovienent.
But the call of JEsus is a call to follow him, deny yourself, picking up your cross. That what Jesus said in Mark 8:34-35
Mark 8:34–35 (CSB)
Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.
The ephesians have seemed to live this out well - at least in what it seems to be protecting the internal doctrinal purity.
BUT. Look at verse 4
Revelation 2:4 (CSB)
But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.
Woah. You have abandoned the love you had at first. Now scholars are not precisely clear what this first love is - whether it’s love for each other in side the church, their initial love of Christ, or the love of the Gospel and witnessing to others - perhaps even a combination.
I tend to agree with Beale when it comes to the continuing context of this message that it likely means their passion for the message of the Gospel.
Perhaps they felt so vulnerable to the corroding forces at work in Ephesus that their focus to protect the purity of the Church (which is objectively a good thing that Jesus commends) is perhaps that they have failed to focus to the outside world as a light.
This is perhaps why Jesus introduces himself in verse 1 in the way he did. “Walking among the seven golden lampstands” perhaps is spoken to remember that the primary role of the church in relation to Jesus is that of a light to the outside world.
This reminds me of the sermon the mount and the lamp on a stand or a city on a hill. Matthew 5:14-16
Matthew 5:14–16 (CSB)
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Our love of Christ, and the reception of grace we have by faith, ought to lead us to those who are still in the dark and we should seek to win them to faith!
And if a lampstand aint shining - why even have it out?
These also seems to link to Matthew 24:12-14 let me read taht for us
Matthew 24:12–14 (CSB)
Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The love of many will grow cold - but we must endure, doing what, Proclaiming in all the world as a testimony (or witness) to all nations.
That’s what we are called to do - preach the Gospel to all people, then the end will come! But the ephesians have forgotten this love, and it’s grown cold.
And think about it again, the ephesian church started with a touch down and then had a series of the who’s who of the Christian faith! The word of God spread through ALL of Asia because of them. It seems that the have forgotten the evangelistic fire that they once had.
This is something we all can experience - where we forget about the love and the grace that we experienced when we were first saved. Something the wonderful hymn amazing grace speaks of.
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear; and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour i first believed.
And what does Christ then call them to do? three things in verse 5:
Revelation 2:5 (CSB)
Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
They are called to first remember - recall the grace. Recall the forgiveness. Recall the goodness of God. Remember the miracles that God worked in and through the church in Ephesus. Remember what it was like to be on the front lines of evangelism and the kingdom. Interestingly, this is, in the greek, a present imperative - meaning we are called to remember and continue remembering indefinitely. Continue to remember.
then
Repent - to change, shift, redirect. Turn around! stop going the direction you are going and
Do the works you did at first. The works they are doing are good - continue those - but look back to the foundations, to the witness, to the love and the grace - and do those works of grace and love and evangelism.
OR else - Jesus will come, and remove your lampstand from it’s place.
If the lamp ain’t shining - why keep it there?
It’s worth noting that this coming of Jesus is seemingly not referring to the final return, but a coming of judgement in the current times. The church will cease to be a beacon of light before Christ’s final coming.
This indicates that while Jesus will come again in finality in all the eschatological glory and pretense at the end of history - he also comes in our current age to encourage, bless, and to judge.
Remember, repent, and get to work.
And yet - verse 6:
Revelation 2:6 (CSB)
Yet you do have this: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Again, Jesus commends the church on their commitment to doctrinal purity - this time with the group of the nicolaitans coming up. Whom practices Jesus hates.
The Nicolaitans will come up later in the messages to the church, and while we don’t know exactly what they were teaching, we have some ideas. Perhaps the most likely in context of this and later in the message to Pergamum, is they were teaching that Christians could participate in the idolatry of Ephesus. Artemis worship and domitian presence - there would be great societal pressure to participate, and financial pressure, as we have evidence that the imperial cult was also incredibly influential in the trade guilds - so there was a real cost by not participating. And perhaps the nicolatians were saying it’s okay to compromise, as long as we know the truth.
Some scholars have pointed out that the root of Nicolaitans is Niclaus - and the name niclaus literally means “one who overcomes the people.” So perhaps it was a coercive attitude that sought control.
This compromise with culture, and power, and wealth, and is playing with corrosive materials. And they are commended as they refuse to tolerate these practices. In a “you do you” culture, a “not my truth” culture. Where “tolereance” with an asterisk is a high value - it can feel challenging to hear Jesus talk about hating the practices of some who are teaching falsely. Yet the american church desperately needs to internalize it.
Last verse to the ephesians, verse 7
Revelation 2:7 (CSB)
“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
The conclusion is to anyone who has ears to listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. As Craig Keener notes, this is our clue that if the shoe fits, we should wear it. This is a prophetic call - to hear God.
It’s similar to JEsus when he would teach often in parables - let he who has an ear hear. This is an invitation to see the rest of the book in line with the prophetic call to be faithful to God in the here and now.
The promise is that the one who conquers, or that one that overcomes will have the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
The Tree of life was in the Garden of Eden, which would have granted eternal life to adam and eve, and it will come back into view at the end of revelation. IT’s a clear picture of forgiveness, life, restoration. Eternal life.
Overcoming is the condition. Conquering. This is a key to revelation - and the Christian walk. But there is a great irony here - how are we to conquer?
When we look at Jesus, how did he conquer? By death. So we conquer by faithfulness to the point of death.
In this context - the one who conquers, who is faithful to right belief, but also right action with their heart full of love, they will have the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.
This brings us to our question:
So what?
What does the Pastoral Prophetic Message to Ephesus have for us today.
Quite a bit, honestly.
It is interesting that churches stereotypically error in one of two directions when it comes to truth and love. Stereotypically the churches that are all about love, and evangelism and reaching the lost tend to be lax on deep doctrine.
On the flip side those who are the most committed to doctrinal purity tend to lose the heart for the lost and lose a love of grace.
Where do you fall on that spectrum?
Ephesus had the perseverance and dedication to the truth - which was praised by our King. They didn’t compromise and dabble in dark places. They were vigilant.
Friends - our culture is pretty corrosive right now. There is a lot of content flying at us that is vile and not worth dabbling in. We don’t want to be pharisees and make a bunch of laws to put people under - we are no longer under the law but grace. But Paul is right in writing that “Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial.” in 1 Corinthians 10.
We need to be really careful friends at some point entertainment is not just entertainment and becomes a deadly drug to us.
So much of the programming on television and movies are filled with just evil and debauchery and sexual immorality and pornographic images. We ought to be very careful and honest about what we dabble in and around.
At the same time - we MUST not fail to love others - especially those outside of the church. We cannot lose our first love - the love that pursued us while we were still sinners. We must be radically in fire in our love. We need to actually do the work of evangelism, we need to be willing to lay down or lives for others. Look at John 15:13
John 15:13 (CSB)
No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.
We see that, embodied by JEsus - but most of us can’t be bothered some days. We are too busy, or distracted watching something.
What does it look like to be truly loving? Love your neighbor in the way you want to be loved.
I would want someone to hear me. I would want someone to take the time to pray for me. I would want someone to notice when I’m not doing well. I would want someone to hang out and play and do nothing together with me. I would want someone to correct me when I’m wrong. And If I didn’t know Christ - I would desperately want someone to witness to me.
Tim Dwyer writes on an interesting connection: when one accommodates too much, the power of a pure testimony goes away.
We must do both. We must be Holy like God is holy. Theology matters. And we MUST be so radically full of love and grace that we witness to others.
So What?
Friend - look in and look out.
How are you doing when it comes to maybe dancing to a tune thats leading you astray? What things are we investing our time in, watching, listening too, that we need to get rid of to protect our purity?
A part of all of these messages ins’t just doctrinal purity but personal holiness. In our world that is so dark and permeated by sin it is easy to become enveloped by it and to become comfortable and complacent, and to make accommodations of our own sin. Think of Philippians 4:8-9
Philippians 4:8–9 (CSB)
Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Friends, some of that is really only found out in community - cause we can be really good at convincing ourselves of the truth we want. But a good friend will tell you the truth. We need to be known by people so we can love each other - and tell each other when we are dancing to the wrong music.
Look in, but also look out.
When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with someone outside the church about JEsus? I don’t mean to shame anyone, but friend - our job is to tell others the gospel. That is the most loving thing we can do. Don’t buy into the lie that the gospel isn’t good news - it is!
Invest in relationships in the church, but also out of the church - and radically love all with the truth of the triumph of JEsus Christ over the grave for the forgiveness of sins.