Ghosting God

Sermon: Ghosting God (Ephesus)

Series: FOMO (Faith Over My Opinions)

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

The Big Idea: Faith over the opinion that "I’m doing it right."

I. INTRODUCTION: THE AUDIT OF OPINIONS

Hi everybody. Last week we went through FOMO—the Fear of Missing Out on what culture says is proper and good—and how we can change that into a Faith Over My Opinions. A lot of you listened intently last week, and some of you have even made the choice in your minds to start trying to have faith over your own opinions.

But the reality is, it’s not a one-time moment that you make the choice. A relationship with Jesus isn't a momentary thing; it’s a lifestyle. And over the next few weeks, we’re going to break down what it means to have faith in the Word over the opinions of the world. In order for us to really grasp that concept, we have to understand what opinions we’re talking about. There are very specific opinions that a lot of us have just accepted as "truth" because culture has taught it that way—even if they never said it out loud. Sometimes, even the church has taught these opinions as if they were facts.

Think about it—how many things in our culture are taught as absolute, cold-hard facts when they are really just opinions? Take evolution, for example. It’s a theory, an opinion, but people teach it as an absolute fact of how we got here. To move from FOMO to Faith, we have to identify the opinions we’re holding onto as if they’re truth.

Here in Revelation, we see Jesus speaking specifically to seven different churches, calling out seven specific opinions they’ve accepted as facts. We’re going to walk through Revelation chapter 2 together to see if we can find the opinion for this church at Ephesus—because I would say it’s one of the most dangerous opinions people accept as truth.

II. THE WALKTHROUGH: VERSE 1 (Authority & Presence)

Read Revelation 2:1: "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands."

The Decoder: The Angel & The Church

Pause right there. Before we look any further, we need to understand exactly who Jesus is talking to. It clearly states it in that first line: "To the angel." Now, this is where the symbolism can get kind of wonky. When you hear the word "angel," what do you think of? A supernatural being? A protector? A cherubim?

It’s easy to just attribute that word to a supernatural being, but in the Greek, that’s not what it means. "Angel" isn’t a description of a being; it’s a job description. The word is Angelos, and it means Messenger. Jesus is writing these letters to the Messengers—the teachers, the preachers—telling them to get this message to His Church.

And when He says "Church," He’s not talking about a building. He’s not talking about the "Assembly of God" or some organization. He’s talking about YOU. You are the Church. Scripture says your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit. So Jesus is essentially saying, "Hey Messengers, I need you to get this message to My people."

The Decoder: The Creator vs. The Stars

Now, Jesus knows how the people in Ephesus receive things. He knows their personality. For example, the Holy Spirit can be very gentle with my wife and she’ll just listen, but with me, it feels like He has to pop me in the back of the head to get my attention! Jesus knows Ephesus receives things through the lens of authority.

In Ephesus, they were surrounded by a culture that worshiped the goddess Diana at the Temple of Artemis. That culture believed Artemis controlled your fate, and that you found your destiny by understanding the stars. They looked to astrology for their answers. The stars held the "authority" over their lives.

So Jesus immediately addresses that: "You look to the stars for your fate? Why? I created them! I’m holding them in My hand!" He’s saying, "Messenger, tell My people the Creator has more authority than the creation. Stop looking at the creation for your answers and listen to the One who holds the stars."

The Decoder: The Lampstands & The Oil

Jesus then says He "walks among the lampstands." The Jewish people would have caught this reference to Exodus 25. In the Old Testament, God told Moses to create a single candelabra out of a singular piece of gold. It had seven flames, and the priests had to tend it every day, making sure it had oil so the light never went out.

But here, Jesus isn't talking about one single unit. He’s talking about individual candles for each and every people group. He’s saying there is no longer one single lamp locked in a tent; now, the light is in you. You each have the Holy Spirit. You each have to tend your own oil to make sure your flame doesn't go out. And Jesus is the Priest walking among you, offering you the oil you need to stay lit.

III. THE WALKTHROUGH: VERSES 2-3 (The Resume)

Read Revelation 2:2-3: "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary."

The Commendation: The Perfect Resume

Jesus gives them a 5-star review. Ephesus was a "Holy Guard Dog." They were loyal. They were truth-detectors. They tested fake apostles and found the liars. They didn't tolerate evil. They refused to compromise with culture. From the outside, they looked like the gold standard. They thought: "We are doing it right!" ---

IV. THE WALKTHROUGH: VERSE 4 (The Pivot)

Read Revelation 2:4: "Yet I hold this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first."

The Accusation: Ghosting God

You can be correct but cold. The Ephesians defended the truth, but they lost the love. They were in the Word, but not of the Word. They were ghosting God.

Unintentional Ghosting:

You don't mean to ignore Him, but you get so distracted by "good" things that you leave the Father on read.

Pastor Casey's Confession:

I have three hats at this church—Youth Pastor, Production Pastor, and Associate Pastor. I get hundreds of texts a day. I’m vetting leaders, mixing audio, and speaking into crises. I look down and see a text from Jennings, Chris, or my Wife.I read it. I intend to respond. But a "ministry emergency" happens, and I leave the woman I love most on "read."

I have ghosted God while doing God’s work. I’ve prepped sermons and fixed production while ignoring the Author of my faith. If I can ghost my family for "work," how easily do we ghost God for "religion"? We’ve taught you how to do it right, but we’ve forgotten to teach you how to be with Him.

V. THE WALKTHROUGH: VERSE 5 (The Reset)

Read Revelation 2:5:

"Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."

The Solution: The Triple R

Jesus gives us a "Reset Button" to fix the ghosting:

REMEMBER: Consider the "height from which you have fallen." Go back to that first moment of grace when it wasn't about a task list, but about the fact that you were loved.

REPENT: Change your mind. Admit that your "Opinion" (I'm doing it right!) has become an idol that replaced the Relationship.

REWIND: Do the works you did at first. Stop treating God like a boss you report to and start treating Him like a Father you love. Return to basic intimacy.

VI. THE WALKTHROUGH: VERSE 6 (The Compromise)

Read Revelation 2:6:

"But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

The Decoder: The Nicolaitans

This connects to Numbers 24 and the story of Balaam. Balaam couldn't curse God's people, so he taught them to compromise. He told them they could follow God and still sleep around or live like the world. The "Nicolaitan" spirit is the attempt to have your cake and eat it too. Jesus hates that "fence-sitting." Ephesus was right to hate the compromise, but they forgot to love the Christ.

VII. THE WALKTHROUGH: VERSE 7 (The Promise)

Read Revelation 2:7: "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

The Choice: The Cross vs. Culture

Tonight, you have a choice. This is not a "one and done" moment; it is a daily lifestyle. Scripture says to take up your cross daily.

The Life of Culture is the path of self-importance and pride. It’s having self-confidence in your own "rightness" and legalism. It’s a lampstand with no oil—expensive, but pitch black.

The Life of Christ is the path of the Cross. It is the daily choice to accept correction and check in with the Father. It is choosing Relationship over Reputation.

Are you choosing the Life of Culture (Self-Validation)?

Or are you choosing the Life of Christ (The Cross)?

If you do all the work but ghost the Author of your story, you’ve missed the whole point.

Don't leave Him on read tonight. STOP Ghosting God!

Accept the Promise/ Refuse to compromise!

And: Access the Tree of Life. The only “Open the line of communication”.

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for being so busy "doing" that we forgot "being" with You. Restore our first love tonight. Amen.