Remarkable, Message 2of 3
Remarkable Message 2 of 3 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsDo you remember the way you loved Christ in the beginning? Maybe you feel the distance hasd grown over time? Maybe the fire has cooled. Let us Remember. Repent and Do the things we did bacxk then. Let us fan into flame the gifts of God and our love for God.
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Remember, Repent, Do
Remember, Repent, Do
revelation 2:1-7:
“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.’
The church at Ephesus was founded by Paul but, John had been a pastor there for a time and had a special interest in this church. Possibly that is why Jesus begins with this church.
He commends them
He commends them
They are determined
They are discerning
They are diligent
He convicts them
He convicts them
They have abandoned
They have become automatic
They have abdicated
His recovery plan
His recovery plan
Remember
Repent
Do
What do we remember?
What do we remember?
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Sometimes we miss things
Sometimes we miss things
Revelation
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
“ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:19
What happens when we repent?
What happens when we repent?
We evaluate
We elaborate
We empty
Where do we see this example?
Where do we see this example?
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:
Philippians 2:
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
If Christ can empty himself, humble himself, and be obedient, we can empty ourselves, humble ourselves and be obedient.
As we empty ourselves, He, God, Christ, will fill us.
Why does He do this?
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 11-13
Now let’s go back to Revelation
But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
“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.’
What do we do?
What do we do?
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
We are obedient so that God will work through us.
We are obedient so that God will work through us.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Sometimes we miss things
Sometimes we miss things
Who were the Nicolaitans?
Who were the Nicolaitans?
Opening Up Revelation The Letter to the Church of Ephesus (2:1–7)
The Nicolaitans were a sect that taught that one could be a Christian and not strive to live a holy life.
The Nicolaitans appeared to conform to this Roman culture, and seemed to encourage Christians in Ephesus to do the same. They were known for their eating of idol meat and sexual promiscuity.
Basically, they believed that you could be Christian without transformation.
Many today, unfortunately, might identify with this viewpoint.
But, there is something bigger we miss.
But, there is something bigger we miss.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Despite all their problems, Christ still loves them.
Despite all their problems, Christ still wants to help them grow.
Despite all their problems, Christ is still just an open door away.
In Him we can:
Remember
Repent
Do
Despite your problems;
He Loves You
He Wants to Help You Grow
He Is Just A Door Opening Away
Opening Up Revelation The Letter to the Church of Laodicea (3:14–22)
Each of the last four letters ends in the same way as the three that precede them, namely, with Christ’s appeal to individuals within each church to hear ‘what the Spirit says’ (2:29; 3:6, 13, 22). Did ‘that woman Jezebel’ have a following in the church of Thyatira? If each individual member would take a stand against her, she would soon realize that her following had vanished. Was Sardis alive in name only? Let each individual believer experience true spiritual vitality and the whole church would as well. Was the church in Philadelphia strong and faithful? She could remain so only as her individual members were strong and faithful. Even the dreadful church at Laodicea would be transformed if the individual members stopped shutting Christ out and opened the door to him (3:20).
He desires each church and believer be remarkable.
Last week we saw that we need to hot or cold, today, we saw that we need to remember, repent and do.
Both weeks tell us that we need to empty ourselves and be filled by Christ.
Both weeks tell us that we need to empty ourselves and be filled by Christ.
So, I’ll ask again this week.
What are you full of?
What are you full of?
If it is not Christ, then remember, repent and do.
If it is not Christ, then remember, repent and do.