Passing the Baton — Revelation 2:1-7

Introduction

This morning, I want to go back with you to my very first sermon here—my trial sermon on July 28, 2013. I’m doing that for two reasons. First, it serves as a fitting bookend to my time as your pastor, giving us a chance to see God’s unmistakable kindness over these years. Second, it ties a bow on our Big Story series, since the one piece still unfinished is Revelation.

Twelve years ago, I couldn’t tell the whole story behind that sermon. But now I can. When word began to spread that Iron City might call a 27-year-old pastor, it raised concern. Sid Nichols, our local DOM and a member of the church where I was serving as student pastor, pulled me aside. He had been asked to give counsel here, and he wanted to warn me about what I was stepping into.

I’ll never forget his words. The church was in the middle of a scandalous season. He told me it was “the worst situation he’d seen in 20 years as DOM,” and that Iron City was “as likely to die as it was to live.” He urged me to go only if I was certain God was calling me—and I was. That call became my anchor. Through those hard early years, it was the one thing that kept me moving forward, one day at a time.

God’s Word

The reason I chose Revelation 2 for that first sermon is simple: it describes a church Jesus clearly loved, but also one He was willing to close. Revelation always speaks with two horizons in view—both immediate and future. It was written directly to the church in Ephesus two thousand years ago, but it also speaks to churches like Iron City when we find ourselves in similar circumstances.

At its core, Revelation 2 is a call to honest introspection—to examine whether the church has drifted from her true identity and mission. And this morning, as my time with you comes to a close, it feels only right that we pause for that same kind of reflection together.

So, I want to leave you with Three Questions of Introspection: (Headline)

“What” are you doing?

Revelation 2:1–3 ““To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “ ‘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.”

Revelation 2:6 “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

Our God is immanent. He’s not some far away God from some far away land. He isn’t the cold, distant clockmaker who made the world, wound it up, and now just watches it tick with a bucket of popcorn. Know, these are the words of Jesus who while so transcendent He “holds the seven stars in his right hand,” is still close, so personal that He “walks among the seven golden lampstands,” that is, his churches. Jesus wants his church to know that He knows us — intimately, personally, and thoroughly. He “walks among” us. He knows us better than we know us, and He knows these are the words that we need to hear.

Jesus “isn’t” far away.

On one hand, it’s a great comfort that Jesus is so close, isn’t it? The One who holds together the universes is right here with us to hold together our lives and our redemption. On the other hand, it’s sobering to realize He’s so close and that He knows us so well. We can’t impress him. He sees past our nice home, perfect makeup, and intellectual exercises. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we stand before God, and we are naked, unable to cover our sin or the wickedness in our hearts.

And, with that in mind, Jesus’ letter to the Ephesians is a compliment sandwich. He starts with a commendation of what they do well, but He follows follows it with his main point starting it with a “But.” He knows it’s true. They knows it’s true. They know that He knows it’s true.

But, the commendation shouldn’t be skipped over too quickly. It’s beautiful and true. It has to do with what all they are doing, and what they are doing is, for the most part, really, really good and beautiful. They’re “works” have earned them a reputation of faithfulness and obedience. They were marked by “toil” and “patient endurance.” “Toil” literally means that they were working to the point of sweat and exhaustion. This church was filled with activity, good works, and plenty of programs to keep the whole family busy. Further yet, in verse 6, Ephesus is commended for the doctrinal fidelity. They had, likely at great personal expense, stood up to the Nicolaitians, and guarded the doctrine of the church as Paul had charged them to do in Acts 20.

Jesus “hasn’t been” far way.

Ephesus didn’t have an effort problem. Their effort was commendable. Ephesus didn’t have a doctrinal problem. Their doctrine was honorable.

As I’ve thought about that, I’ve thought about the commendable effort that I’ve seen at Iron City over the last twelve years. The turnaround that we’ve experienced here — Tony called it a “season of Peace” — is nothing short of the favor of God, and it’s the favor of God pouring out through the tremendous effort that you’ve given. It’s clear that Jesus really hasn’t been far way.

Everywhere I look I see the work of Jesus among you. I think about senior adults here who have seen their church dramatically shift in method and style over the course of their lifetimes. YOU decided that you were all-in on reaching young feelings. YOU cooked the meals, learned the names, sacrificed your music preferences, and kept the nursery. YOU supported a young pastor who never would’ve made it past the second or third year without you. A young pastor cannot make it unless the church — in particular the senior adults — want him to make it, and you’ve stuck with me during times in which I would’ve quit on me. Thank you.

I think about staff who went well beyond the call of duty, sometimes working 50 or 60 hours in a week. I think about how available they’ve always been and how some have taken part-time pay while still giving full-time effort.

I think about elders who took on shrapnel in the early days trying to shield my immaturity. I think about you brothers who kept showing up to hard meetings when anyone else would’ve turned in their resignation. I think about how you’ve consistently sacrificed an lower drama Christian life because of your love for your church.

I think about deacons who have shown up early to unlock doors and spent their off days visiting widows. I think about young families who have, week-in and week-out, gotten up early, gotten their kids dressed, and driven 20, 30, even 45 minutes to church because you were committed to this body. I think the hundreds of you who have used your vacation time to go on mission trips and gotten up early for your D-groups.

I could go on, but here’s what I want to say. Thank you. I praise God for you. Some will be tempted to look back and celebrate this season by giving me credit. But, I didn’t do the work. You did. Your effort inspired me. Your effort humbled me. Your effort will be the story that I take away from all of this, and I want you to know that I know what you’ve done. And, the Lord knows, too. Praise God! You are to be commended!

“Why” are you doing it?

Revelation 2:4 “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”

But, Jesus’ main point isn’t what the Ephesians were doing so much as it why they were doing it. Verse four is the verse that blows up our hearts like a ton of dynamite, isn’t it? When Jesus says that the Ephesian Church had “abandoned the love (they) had at first,” his point is: You don’t have an effort problem. You have a heart problem. The problem wasn’t that they weren’t busy. The problem was that they were busy for the wrong reasons.

Everything that you could say of them you could say of the Pharisees. The Pharisees gave great effort. The Pharisees were very busy. The Pharisees did good deeds. The Pharisees ferociously defended their doctrine. But, the Pharisees did it because they loved being impressive. They did it because they loved applause. They did it because they loved being right. They did it because they loved themselves.

Our “effort” isn’t all that God “wants.”

Our effort isn’t all that God wants. God wants our affection much more than He wants our effort. Now, of course, great affection leads to great effort, but if you aren’t careful, great effort can mask a lack of affection, and it’s your attitude and “why” that tell the story.

You’ll remember the story of Mary and Martha. Martha is scurrying around working and cleaning and cooking, all while Mary is just seated at the feet of Jesus. Martha expects that Jesus will rebuke Mary for her lack of effort, but then He does the opposite. Why? That’s the question we’re meant to ask. And, the answer is that Jesus wanted Martha’s love much more than He wanted her hash-brown casserole. Jesus is teaching Ephesus that the same is true when it comes to his churches.

Our “why” must be God’s “glory.”

It’s significant that Jesus points out that they’ve “abandoned the love (they) had at first.” That, right now, this is where Ephesus was, but that had not always been the case. There was a time in the past in which they worked hard, not out of obligation or guilt, not because they had to, but because they were so in love with Jesus that they wanted to. Their hearts had been so hot for Jesus that they imagined new ways to serve and honor him, but they had cooled off to a point that they were just managing the machine to keep it going. They had forgotten their “WHY?”

Now, I wouldn’t be so bold as to say that twelve years ago that the people of Iron City had “abandoned (their) first love.” So many of you had hearts that burned hot for Jesus then and now. But, I would say that, back then, a lot of the time there was very little joy left in the work of the church. You were so broken and exhausted, that there were times when you had to wonder “Why?” and when it must’ve felt like you were just managing the machine. And, my heart from the beginning was to restore to you the joy of your salvation and the joy of your church family.

I’ve thought a lot lately about how I’d like my time at Iron City to be remembered. Let me tell you what I don’t want. I don’t want it to be memorialized, and I don’t want it to be idolized. Our time together hasn’t been perfect, and I certainly haven’t been perfect. I don’t want to be the ghost that haunts future pastors and ministries. I don’t want to be remembered for attendance numbers, and I don’t want to be remembered for my mistakes either. What I hope you’ll be able to say about the last twelve years is that Cody loved me, and He helped me love God more. That’s it. I hope you’ll realize how deep and sincere my love for you is, and I pray that God, in his kindness, used our time together to stir up your affections and passions for him even more.

Twelve years ago, I used this text to tell you that my vision for Iron City was that we would become known as a church who is “rigidly, passionately, and unapologetically God-centered.” I said that we would, week in and week out, ask one simple question: “How do we build a church which most glorifies God?” And, I hope that as you reflect on what all God has done here that you would see that God is at the center of our worship, our ministries, and our theology.

“How” will you respond?

Revelation 2:5 “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.”

You’ll notice that Jesus expects a response from the Church in Ephesus. He gives instructions tied to a warning. He says: “Remember” the love that you had. “Repent” from your cold, mechanical way of living. Or, die. Or, “I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”

I mentioned in my introduction that there was some thought that Iron City was closer to death than we were to life twelve years ago. I said in my trial sermon that God is pleased to let churches die whose hearts have forsaken their first love. Those are sobering words for a candidating sermon.

But, praise God for his kindness and favor! You responded! You turned your hearts to him! There’s a special place in my heart for those of you who have been with me the whole twelve years. I’ll never be able to adequately say to you what your love and support has meant to me. Probably upwards of 80 percent of you have come in the last 7 years. And, the reason that you’re here, the reason that you’re hearts have been fed, the reason you’ve found family here, the reason God has brought healing to your heart is because of a core group of Christians, whose names you may not even know, that responded to an impossibly painful and difficult season by loving God and committing to their church family. No one on earth may know but the Lord and me, but I want you all to know that I’ll never forget it.

It brings me tremendous joy to come to the end of my interim pastorate here — since all pastors are interims of various lengths — it gives me great joy to come to the end of my interim pastorate here and to pass the baton to the next chapter knowing that the church is strong, healthy, and in love with Jesus. And so, the tone is different and the mood is different and thank God the circumstances are different, but the really the same question is in front of the people of Iron City: How will you response?

For me, there was a pivotal moment in the interviewing process. I asked a question about the ability of Iron City to be effective in the future with her and her reputation being so badly beaten. Tony Snider gave the answer when he said through tears: “I still believe in Iron City.”

I couldn’t agree more. Twelve years ago, I told you that I thought Iron City’s best days were still ahead of her. Praise God they were! But, you know what, I still think that’s true. I think your best days are still in front of you, and you’ll have no bigger cheerleader as you experience them than the Hale family. We love you!