Untitled Sermon (10)

I want you to imagine with me this evening a thriving and powerful city in the first century world that was located in the Roman Empire, I want you to imagine that this city had somewhere an estimated 100,000-150,00 people that were living there. I want you to imagine this city that was located 3 miles inland from the sea, on the castor river. Not only was it known for its great harbor, but this city had 4 different trade routes that really added to their productivity in their day. The city was productive that it became known as the gateway to all of Asia. IN this city, there was something that existed that was known and is known as the 7th wonder of the world, and it was called the temple of Artemis. It was a Temple a monument built giving idolization to the God of fertility which was a Greek goddess.

In that city and beyond they literally let everyone know of their false idolatry and promoted it vigorously and aggressively. But also in this city there was a group called the Nicolaitans now this group were professing believers, like many of us here tonight but the problem was they didn't lead people to the truth of Jesus Christ, they lead them away. They were like Baalam that is mentioned in the scripture you see the Nicolaitans believed because of grace and Gods love and unconditional forgiveness, that it gave them a license to sin.

They promoted their sensuality and their immorality all through the church and beyond..

But thank God I want you to imagine with me a God who knows what we do not know, who works in ways that often times we do not understand. While this goddess strutted her stuff there at the temple of artemis, we realize at the same time God planted a powerful church in this city in the year 52 AD.

One of the thriving churches in the entire NT was located in this city, the church was founded by a couple named priscilla and acquilla in fact it was such an important church that the apostle Paul ministered there for 3 years of his ministry, using it as a base of operations in that part of the world. In fact history tells us that in this city, the Apostle John who was the last living one of the 12 disciples of Jesus, that the ruler Domitian discovered he was there and Domitian had him exiled 50 miles away and out there exiled on an island called Patmos god revealed to him that Jesus is still alive and He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the One who is, who was, and who is to come.

He is the A and He is the Z He is the beginning and He is the end.

This Jesus talked to John on that island, and out there on that island He gave him a book of holy Scripture that the Bible is so clear that if you read this book everytime you read it and study it you get blessed. Theres a blessing but if you ever try to take away from this book, God says I will curse you. This book is called the book of revelation. In the secondd chapter in the book of revelation we learn about this city and this chruch located in this powerful, influential, and productive city in the 1st century world and that city is called Ephesus.

So tonight let’s look at revelation 2:1-7

Revelation 2:1 NKJV

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

Revelation 2:1–7 ESV

“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. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 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. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

Who are the seven stars?

Who are the seven golden lampstands?

Well Jesus tells us over in chapter 1 the answer to these questions

Revelation 1:20 NKJV

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

You see in the revelation chapter 2-3 we read of the 7 churches that Jesus gave a message to through the apostle John on the island of Patmos 50 miles from the city of Ephesus.

What we learn in this, and what we understand when we really study it more in depth, is that when Jesus said He had his stars in His right hand, and He gave the stars the message to give to the church. Thats what this word angel means it means messengers. The messengers of the churc would be who?

The pastors the spiritual leaders, the elders of the church where they are to give the message of the Lord to the church....

The lampstands are the 7 churches of the revelation.

These were real churches that exist but they serve as a guide for us throughout history there have been churches just like these ever since the church was born and so we can take the message given to these seven churches and then rightly applied they can edify and strengthen our churches today.

Revelation 2:2–7 NKJV

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you 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 give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

Revelation 2:2-

The title of this message is entitled “GETTING THINGS RIGHT” here in this story you find Jesus talking to the apostle John about the church at Ephesus which represents even still the church today to a degree. I commend you for all of these things but i have a concern about you in your life, and He unveils His concern and then He tells them how to get right.

I spoke with you last week about something God wanted me to do on Sunday nights concerning barriers in the Christian life. Things that get in the way of what god wants to do in his church both corperately and individually. Everyone has barriers that they have to break through or allow god to have the breakthrough in our life.

No one is exempt from dealing with barriers from time to time.

Toight were gonna talk right up front about this barrier and were going to reveal the barrier that is talked about in chapter 2:1-7 here it is.

AN UNREPENTANT HEART

An unrepentant heart

What does that mean?

It means that were not willing to change, were not willing to alter our lives, it means that were heading in a direction that is not right, and i wanna remind everyone that Jesus’ word to the church is a word to you and me. We are the church! The church is not a building the church is people who are born again and baptized believers in Jesus Christ. Thats who we are and we join together as a church, but this is a message to the Christians who are located in that city and a message that is still alive for us today. They needed to deal with thier unrepentant heart and in a moment were gonna talk a little more about what that means, but Jesus tells them.... Listen I know my church and uh and I know what you do, I know my church and I see all the good things you do.

think about it this way, God knows your name and God knows my name.

How many of you know your first name?

Most of you

My name is Kyle, now in a moment I want you to say out loud unashamed your own personal first name....

You ready? You remember what is is?

Ready? 123 go:

Kyle

You see that is what Jesus is doing with His word in this passage I KNOW YOU KYLE, and I KNOW WHAT YOU DO

In other words you cant bluff me, you may have these people fooled, you may have your wife fooled but I know YOU.

People you go to church with, they may not know about you but I know about you...

Im gonna tell you the truth today about you.

Jesus’ commendations on the church

Jesus is applauding them giving them praise...

For what they were doing

He applauds them for being:

A WORKING CHURCH

A Christian who works for the Lord, busy for the Lord, not in a bad way but a good way. Serving the Lord

Jesus even applauds them that He even tells what kind of work they are doing is faithful that word He uses when he calls it labor that you have been so faithful even when you are exhausted thats how hard youve worked for me. Have you ever worked that hard for Jesus?

Most of you have I dont bat an eye at that. I praise God daily that I get to serve a church who serves so diligently. In todays church pastors beg God for people who serve like you do so I am blessed and honored to be your pastor.

You live out your faith based off whats in your heart, remember Jesus knows you and would you be commended for being a working christian? I remember a song:

We will work till Jesus comes

We will work till Jesus comes

We will work till Jesus comes

and well be gatherd home....

But today thats not the song of the church, thats the song of corperate America, thats the song of private business, thats the song of people who basically if they are not being who they need to be they can start singing that song but not about God but working to the point of exhaustion for whatever they are big on. He commended them for being a working church, but He also commended them for being

A PERSEVERING CHURCH

You have been constant, and consitent, you have been sustaining I mean you have worked your way through it, I mean even when it was coming against you, you were working and you were persevering thats a good thing!

Jesus also commended them for being a

DISCERNING CHURCH

Jesus said “you cannot tolerate evil, you have tested those who call themselves apostle and are not, and you have found them to be liars.”

Cannot tolerate- you do not hold the hands up of evil

Jesus said your amazing you know what I want so much that you dont hold hands with evil, and you dont lift up the arms of those who are not lifting up my truth.

For you have tested them and scrutinized them

Not by what you think, not by what the pundits of Ephesus think, but you have evaluated them based upon the truth of my word and you have found them to be liars!

You have called them out for it!

THATS A PRETTY GOOD CHURCH!

I’m telling you we better become a discerning church in the days in which we live!

THEY WERE ALSO A SACRIFICING CHURCH!

Revelation 2:3 NKJV

and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.

They have been faithful ALL the way, He even says they have not grown weary in the work I have given you to do!

They were commded for being a sacrificing people of God and He also commended them for being a BELIEVING CHURCH

He said

R

Revelation 2:6 NKJV

But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Well we have to understand that when we think about these commendations that come from Jesus toward these people in Ephesus, we gotta ask ourselves could He praise us for being working Christians, a persevering Christian, could He praise us for being a discerning Christian, a sacrificial Christian, a believing Christian who believes it all?

Would you let the surgeon general the King of Kings and Lord of Lords open you up for a minute?

take a real look at who you are, are you working for Jesus tirelessly in your life with gladness?

Are you serving the Lord?

We need to be a people who are not afraid to work for the Lord with gladness, not a begrudging attitude

It is a joy to serve the Lord?

Do you live consistently for Jesus Christ in your life? Or is it up and down?

How consistent is your walk with Christ?

Do you really take the time to discern the things you are told? Do you really take every thought you have captive to the obedience of Christ?

I don’t mean listen to what your friends say, I don’t mean whatever your favorite preacher or leader says, but what has God shown you to be true form His word?

Let me ask you do you sacrifice for Jesus? Even when you could get wear but you choose not to because you love Jesus so much that it drives you to obedience?

You have to evaluate on these things

JESUS COMMENDS YOU WHEN YOUR DOING THOSE RIGHT

If you ever wanna know:

Well I just dont know what Jesus wants me to do…, there you go!

WORK FOR TH KINGDOM

PERSEVERE

DISCERN

ENDURE

BELIEVE

then Jesus turns it

He gives His concern with the Christians in the church

Revelation 2:

Revelation 2:4 ESV

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament Alone (4)

ἀφίημι, to send away, dismiss, (hence to divorce;) to set free, (hence, to forgive.) In general to leave anything, to leave behind (as at death;) to let alone.

EXPLAIN

Revelation 2:

Revelation 2:5 ESV

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.