The Loveless Church Rev. 2:1-7

I) Introduction

Ephesus - Queen City

Most important city

Natural Harbor

Fertile Land

Harbor became silted up

Nothing could fix it

Had religious cults

Eventually depended on trade of superstition and religion

Eventually it became sick

II) The minister of the church

Revelation (King James Version) B. The Message to Ephesus: The Church that Is Orthodox (Doctrinally Correct) but without Love, 2:1–7

• is chosen and picked out of the world by the hand of Christ

• is nourished and nurtured by the hand of Christ

• is placed where he is by the hand of Christ

• is cared for, secured, and protected by the hand of Christ

• is given a very special closeness to Christ by being held in His hand

• is expected to be an instrument in the hand of Christ

• is responsible to the hand of Christ

• is to be held accountable by the hand of Christ

2. Jesus Christ is the One who walks in the midst of the churches or the golden candlesticks. This means …

• that Christ is present in the very midst of the church

• that Christ sees and knows all about the church

• that Christ is present to teach and grow the church

• that Christ is present to provide and pro

Revelation (King James Version) B. The Message to Ephesus: The Church that Is Orthodox (Doctrinally Correct) but without Love, 2:1–7

• that Christ is present to guide and direct the church

• that Christ is present as the Light of the world to give light to the church

III) The commendation

The church labored for Christ

(NKJV)

35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

b. The church patiently endured

c. The church could not bear those who were evil

d. The church tested the teachers and preachers.

(NKJV)

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

e. The church bore up under all for Christ.

IV)The Complaint

a. The Church had lost its feeling for Christ

lost

warmth

sensitivity to Christ

no fellowship

no praying

lost awareness

b. Lost its love of people

V)The Counsel

a. To return to Him

b. Forget what had pulled them away

c. Do the first works you were doing

VI) The Warning

a. Christ will remove the church

Many churches today face this

7000 a year

Doctrine is not enough

VII) The Victory

a. Eat the tree of life

b. become a citizen of paradise