To The Church in Ephesus

Mission and Vision

Pentecost

Today is the birth of the church

If you don’t know what that means… it means that on this day about 2000 years ago, the Holy Spirit, the third part of the trinity, fully God… was given to us as the body of Christ

The holy spirit fell as about 150 believers were in a room praying. They were filled with the power and presence of the living God and that day Peter gave a sermon and added 3000 to the roll

We celebrate today, especially, as Wesleyans and those who believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the continued work of God through His Spirit here on earth

We also believe in the second work of the spirit. In that we have a pentecostal faith. One that believes that each of us has to have our own moment where the spirit has filled and warmed your heart

The Church in Ephesus

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Today we continue our summer series on the 7 letters to the church in the book of Revelation

Last week we talked about Jesus and how he is currently living in his full glory

How many of you had heard a sermon about Jesus like that before?

This week we start in on the actual messages to the churches from Jesus

We start in with the first letter to the ephesians

Ephesus

little context about the city

built as a metropolis in the Roman empire in what is now turkey

Super Wealthy City

Was a major port city and had a diverse population

Home of the temple of Artimis or what was called the Temple of Diana

This was a wonder of the ancient world and inspired a huge cult who worshiped with temple prostitutes as well as idolatry

There is a book or a letter that paul wrote to the Ephesians where he is commending them and encouraging them to fight and to stand firm in the faith

We also see Ephesus in the book of Acts ch 19

This is really cool

The holy spirit fell in such a way that the church was so on fire for loving each other and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ that those who made money off of the temple of Artimis rioted because the Church had given people hope in Jesus and therefore people weren’t buying their goods and services

The church lived in such a practical way that it changed the economy in the city… Just think about that if what we believed influenced how we spent our money

So with this context let’s look at our text

Jesus starts off by saying this is the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands

Jesus starts by speaking to his authority

His presence and his preserving power

I know your works

Remember Jesus walks among the lampstands

He says I know your works

There is nothing that He doesn’t see

Remember there is no lying to Jesus. When you are speaking to the one who holds by the sustaining power of his hand… he knows. You can’t church it up. You can’t put a 10 on it

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

So one thing that’s crazy to think about… there have been people trying to divide the church ever sen e the first churches existed… because Satan hates the church

Jesus commends this church who had been there on their orthodoxy

That they know the truth of Jesus’ word. They do good stuff, they test people’s teaching, they have a standard of truth that they measure everything against

THey don’t put up with fluffy sermons, they don’t let any crazy theology sneak in, they don’t let someone just flatter and smooth thier way into leadership

They edure… this tells us that this church has been through some things

They have held tight to the the truth and have not grown weary. They continue to do the things

This church reminds me of the old faithful country churches

You know the ones who have solid theology, know their word, they have the Sunday school that digs deep into the word, They have the firey hell and brimstone sermons that get your blood pumping

The hymn game is on lock. They only sing the classics

They have been through the ringer and come out

they persevere through rain or shine, they get up and they go no matter what.

But Jesus says I Have this against you

You have forgotten your first love

He says for all that you do right… you no longer love each other

You got all the right answers on the test, but you don’t love

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that without love we are just clanging symbols

Jesus is telling the church that your perseverence and your godly works are awesome. Keep up the good work

But without you loving each other… which was the one new commandment I gave … its all for naught

He actuallly says I will come and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent

He tlls them to remember from where you have fallen

Look back to those days when you would do and give because you cared for your neighbor, not out of compulsion

Look back when you went to church not just because it was SUnday but because it was the day you could be around your church family and hear the word of God and be in his presence with your brothers and sisters…

Remember and then don’t just feel bad… but do something. Repent

OR He will remove the lampstand… Do you guys understand the depth of that

Jesus is saying if you guys don’t get back to loving each other… I’m going to close the doors.

There’s no point in sitting in the gathering if you are only going to learn a bunch of facts that don’t actually prpell you to love others.

Just shut the doors

It doesn’t matter how much theology you know

How much doctrine you have memorized

I don’t care how many time’s you’ve read the manuel....

If you are not agape-ing

that is the selfless, Christ centered love

Then there is nothing different between you and a philanthropic social club

Jesus then says… Yet this you have

Saying… its not all a wash

there is hope in this

Don’t count yourselves out

You hate the works of the nicolatans… which I also hate

Found differing things about the nicolatians

What is clear is that they were a group of people who were false teachers.

they were spreading lies within the church that lead people back to worship idols and to eat food offered to idols and back to sensuality

To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, whichi sin the paradise of God

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