The Church of Ephesus
The Revelation of Jesus Christ Series • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 48:48
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My wife and I had a prolonged engagement of 13 months. In that time I would sit down and write her a “love note” each day and drop it in the mail. Many were lovey dovey, mushy and gushy. I expressed my heart, I shared my desires with her, and even from time to time would encourage her in some way to a right thinking or focus in harder times.
In a real way as we look at what have been called the seven letters to the churches… I would encourage us to consider them “love notes”… giving us a greater glimpse into the heart of our Savior Jesus Christ… our Bridegroom!
show slide of seven churches
Christ had a message for these churches!!!! Some things in these assemblies needed attention.
Each location and fellowship had the things they were dealing with, fast forward 2000 years and we see the church still dealing with similar situations and even struggles
On the very heels of the vision John sees of Jesus Christ… he is given the interpretation and told to grab a pen and write this down… Jesus then proceeds to send seven very distinct “Love Notes” to His betrothed bride.
Each one of these notes will have a similar outline:
Church Location
Christ’s Description
What is “Known”
Commendation (Except 2)
Concerns (Except 2)
Instructions
Promise
As we look at and consider these notes once again I want us to READ, HEAR, and HEED what is written… Revelation 2:1-7
“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: ‘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; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ‘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. ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ‘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.’
leave scripture on last slide for the next few points
As we look at this passage please note one more time… the first part of Verse 7
Each message was not only for every church listed in this letter… BUT for every church (churches)!
Christ is the One stating these messages, YET… the Spirit, indwelling believers, is saying this too!
Every believer needs to heed the message given to each of these churches…to our church.
The Church in: Ephesus
The Church in: Ephesus
The church with everything, but the greatest thing! “Swindoll”
Location / Opportunity with travelers and spiritual things
This city is a major sea port, a central hub, the pace all wanted to be
Home of one of the seven wonders of the world… “Temple of Diana” or Artermis the goddess of fertility
Various ships coming into port, paganism flourished there, a place where evil desires were lived out
It is said that in that time Ephesus made Las Vegas look like a child’s playground
It’s here we see a church, one that had great impact in the world around them
A Foundation with Paul and Timothy (Ephesians written only 30-40 years earlier)
A book FULL of solid church doctrine and practical living
And this letter of Ephesians emphasized Christ love, their love for Him & their love for each other
As the messenger would read this letter we see Christ introduce Himself in a beautiful way…
Our Christ Described
Our Christ Described
Each description will take us back to “what has been seen”… it spans all time, His character.
The way Christ introduces Himself to this church is done in such an intimate way…
The One who holds them...Walks among them… sees from all angles
You HEAR our bridegroom longing for us to understand His affection, care, and closeness
INTIMACY: deeper than the surface… “Into Me You See”
“I KNOW” is an intimate verb-age expressing His awareness…
What is “Known”
What is “Known”
Christ looks at this church and sees their DEEDS, TOIL and their PERSEVERANCE…
“I know” what you are doing… (probably had many ministry programs)
“I know” how hard you are working… (in this church it was 90% doing the work)
“I know” (Ephesus is a hard place to be a Christian)… yet you keep the faith
What is known by Christ of our church… of you and me???
Their Commendation
Their Commendation
They do not "tolerate evil men”… they address sin
They are well versed in scripture able to “test” so called apostles/ teachers of religion/ recognizing what is false!!!
They “persevere” “endure” and “don’t grow weary”… not for self but rather for the very Name and Testimony of Jesus Christ! and it is NOT EASY!
Living in a place like Ephesus were LOVE had been polluted and distorted into LUST this church fought for truth sound doctrine and accuracy!
We can hold so tightly to teaching… we forget to love the ones we teach, the ones we teach with, the ONE we teach of!
We are called to LOVE… But NEVER at the expense of solid doctrine/teaching!!!
We cannot separate the two (balance) … in this Christ gives a sad and stern correction...
Everything going for them … BUT not the greatest thing… woe to the church today who the same thing could be said of them.
Their Correction
Their Correction
“You have left your first love...” You have abandoned Me says Christ
It’s only mechanical now, you put up a wall of pure teaching and have pushed Me out!
God Himself is defined by LOVE (John 3:16) and has requires it of His people throughout scripture… consider 1 John 4:19-21
We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
Deuteronomy 6:5 when God gives His law to His people...
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Matthew 22:36-40 Jesus Himself teaches this again to us… AND declares how this impacts our interaction with others...
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
John 13:35 we are to have LOVE as a part of WHO we are...
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Galatians 5:22-23 states why this has to be part of us as followers of Christ… The Spirit is in us…HIS FRUIT!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
AND… the greatest is LOVE! 1 Corinthians 13… This is not knew church!!!
Christ brings forth a simple challenge as He instructs them…
Their Instruction
Their Instruction
“Remember!”… Go back to the beginning where you loved Christ, you loved one another
You read the letter to the Ephesian church and it overflows with God’s love for them, their love for Christ!
Ephesians 3:14-20 records Paul’s prayer for them...
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
Demonstrate to Christ you love Him, spend time with Him, Talk with Him, listen to Him, love Him…
“With ALL your heart, ALL your soul and ALL your mind”
STOP!!! having an affair with and lusting after the world!
Paul would close his letter to the Ephesians with an almost prophetic ending… Ephesians 6:23-24
Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
OR ELSE...
There is a consequence with this instruction...
Lampstand = Church body/assembly
Removed… He would no longer use and work through that group of believers… they are still believers
What a sad thing to see a church body God can no longer use and sets aside… a marriage in name only but with no love.
A Promise & Encouragement
A Promise & Encouragement
(Read/Hear/Heed)
First a thumbs up on their hate of the DEEDS not people Nicolaitans.
Over-comers will receive the tree of life...
A place with Christ, forever fellowship and relationship
Those who love Him truly live life even now to the very fullest!
We are being called to an Eternal Perspective
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”
Can you hear Him? Do you know and love Him?
He loved you, enough to die, be buried, and rise again… For your SIN.
I love that Christ did not give them a long list of things they had to do or a season of repentance a spiritual “time out”…
He simply called them back & He waits with open arms!
History tells us they did just that.
As we reflect on our hearts may we do the same… Oh to love our great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! what a wonderful way to live!