Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: Rev. 2:1-7

Theme: The Lord of glory has a message for the church today: "Do not abandon your "first love" for the sake of doctrinal integrity.

When the Apostle John penned this revelation of Christ to the church at Ephesus, the city was a great and thriving metropolis of 200,000 residents — the forth largest city in the Roman Empire.

It was a cosmopolitan city, and a cultured city full of artisans and merchants.

It was called "the light of Asia."

Some historians have described it as the New York City of its era.

Here was the famous Temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

A temple large enough to hold 25,000 worshipers.

The city derived much of its wealth from the manufacture and sale of images of this goddess, and her Temple.

And there were also three temples erected in memory of previous Roman Emperors.

In Ephesus paganism was strong, seasoned and respectable.

Into this citadel of spiritual darkness and unrighteousness came the heralds of the Cross.

Today, if they were Southern Baptist missionaries, we would call them "church planters."

Their names were Aquila and Priscilla.

A few years later, the Apostle Paul would join them, and labor in the city almost three years.

Their work was extremely successful.

In time the church at Ephesus became one of the strongest churches in the area and a center of evangelistic and missionary work by its members.

Some scholars estimate that as many as 35,000 believers lived in the community.

Over the years many other great New Testament figures would preach and work at Ephesus.

Among them was the eloquent and gifted Apollos, the young and timid Timothy, and finally the last surviving member of the original twelve apostles.

John would pastor the church for three decades.

This is a church with a rich spiritual pedigree.

Wouldn’t you have loved to see that wall in the foyer containing all the portraits of previous pastors!

What does this passage tell us about the Church at Ephesus?

I. EPHESUS WAS A CHURCH WHICH MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY

“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: 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.

I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

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

(Revelation 2:1-3, 6, NIV84)

1. the letter to the church at Ephesus comes from Christ, himself

a.

He is the one who has a firm grasp upon his church and walks among those congregations who name his name

1) it’s a reminder that Jesus neither slumbers nor sleeps

2) he is constantly scrutinizing, examining, assessing, and evaluating

3) what does that mean for us?

2. every believer and every church must be busy about the task of good works and Christian ministry because Christ is always watching

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

(Ephesians 2:10, NASB95)

ILLUS.

Sometimes it is difficult to know if we are making a difference in the lives around us.

We are often plagued by the “Harry Bailey Syndrome.”

You remember Harry Bailey from the movie It’s a Wonderful Life.

He was the young man who grew up in Bedford Falls with great aspirations of leaving that crummy little town and making a name for himself in the world.

But because of a series of events he has no control over, Harry never leaves Bedford Falls.

At one point he becomes so despondent that he contemplates suicide.

He feels his life has been a waste and that he has made little difference in his world.

Clarence — Harry’s guardian angel — gives Harry the chance to see what life would have like it he’d never been born.

Harry Bailey is amazed at the difference he has made in the lives of others without ever knowing it.

a. that’s how it is for believers, and sometimes even the local church

b. we may never know on this side of heaven the difference our presence has really made.

c. but Jesus knows!

3. and because Jesus sees all and knows all, each of us must do the good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to do

a.

we must no grow weary in well doing

A. JESUS KNOWS OF THEIR WORKS

"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; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary."

(Revelation 2:2-3, NASB95)

1. the verb I know in this verse reflects a full and exact knowledge that comes from an absolute clearness of vision

a. Jesus knows everything about what goes on in His church; including what individual members do and don’t do (that can be a little sobering)

1) Jesus says, I know your deeds and your toil

b.

Jesus is aware of how hard this congregation at Ephesus had worked for the sake of the Lord and the Gospel

ILLUS.

The Gospel had come to Ephesus about A.D. 50 most likely as a result of the efforts of Priscilla and Aquila.

The Apostle Paul came to the city in A.D. 52, establishing a resident ministry there for the better part of three years.

The Book of Acts reports that while he was there “ ... all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:9).

The influence of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus resulted in churches being planted throughout the Lycus River valley, and over the costal mountains into the hinterlands.

After Paul left the city, Timothy remained to combat false teaching (1 Tim 1:3).

Church tradition also says that the Apostle John settled in Ephesus around A.D. 66, and led the church for many years both before, and after his exile to the Island of Patmos.

When John writes to this congregation, the church has been faithfully ministering in Ephesus forty years.

(In 2020, this church will be 60 years old.

Is it time for us to evaluate where we’ve been and where we want to be going)?

2. Jesus looks at the church at Ephesus and sees the difference that their presence in that city has made

a. Jesus knows the changes which have been wrought in the hearts of individuals whom have had the gospel preached unto them

b.

Jesus knows of the shattered and broken lives that they have helped put back together

c.

Jesus knows of those who lived in despair, but who now have hope

d.

Jesus knows of those who's lives were characterized by hate, but who are now full of love

3. the effectiveness of this church and its evangelism of the city had been so great that their successfulness led to a riot within the city which was led by the silversmiths who fashioned and sold statues of the goddess Diana

a. so many people had come to Christ and thrown away their images of the goddess that the craftsmen became alarmed at the great drop off in their business

1) that story can be found in the Book of Acts, chpt.

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b. here was a church making a difference in their community

ILLUS.

One way to know if the church is maintaining it’s witness is if it makes the purveyors of sin and vice and depravity mad or upset.

One of my favorite stories is about Jack Eckerd, owner of the Eckerd drug store chain.

Back in 1986 through the witness of Chuck Colson, Jack Eckerd became a Christian.

The very next day after being born again, Eckerd was walking through one of his drug stores and saw copies of Playboy and Penthouse on the magazine rack.

He’d seen them there before, and they had never bothered him, but now he saw them with new eyes.

Eckerd called his company’s president and told him to take Playboy and Penthouse out of all his stores.

The President was shocked because their sale brought in $3 million dollars a year.

Eckerd said, “Take ‘em out of my stores.”

By one man’s decision Playboy and Penthouse were taken out of 1700 stores.

When Chuck Colson asked why he did it.

Eckerd responded, “God wouldn’t let me off the hook.”

But that’s not all the story.

Jack Eckerd began writing and calling the owners of all the other national drug store chains encouraging them to do the same.

People’s, Dart Drugs, Revco, and 7-11 all removed the magazines.