The Loveless Church
Who Do We Want To Be? • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsA look at the 7 churches of Revelation and how they should change our approach to church.
Notes
Transcript
A year ago, Brother Terry walked through the churches in Revelation during his Winter Bible Study.
Beginning today, I want us to walk through each of these churches through the lens of moving forward into the future, discerning who we are, and who we want to be.
From time to time, each of us must take time for self-examination.
This self-examination leads to self-awareness which helps us to grow.
If I don’t know where I am, how will I know where I’m going?
Stephen Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People), “Self awareness is our capacity to stand apart from ourselves and examine our thinking, our motives, our history, our scripts, our actions, and our habits and tendencies.”
The same is true for our churches.
So with no further ado, let’s take a look at the very first of the seven churches in order to examine our own lives and our church.
Transition Statement
So with no further ado, let’s take a look at the very first of the seven churches in order to examine our own lives and our church.
1 “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:
2 “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;
3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
5 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.
6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “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 2:1-7
Transition Statement
One of the most common reasons that I hear anymore regarding those who are seeking a divorce is that they just don’t love the other person any more.
It doesn’t matter if they’ve been married for 5 years or 50 years, partners that aren’t intentional about maintaining a continual relationship with each other will grow apart in time and often come to the brink of divorce because they “fall out of love.”
Love is more than a feeling!
Love is a daily, hourly, unceasing choice.
Love can be hard, but is priceless in value.
If that is true with a spouse, how much more so is that true with the one and only God of the universe?!
Context (v. 1)
Some will hold that the seven churches represent seven different periods or stages in church history.
Looking at the churches in their entirety, however, makes it much more likely that these churches were used as examples to all churches.
A similar opening statement will be given to each church that Jesus addresses.
Key terms:
What is meant is that they lost their first love: they abandoned their top priority: Jesus.
angel of the church - Guardian angels? Human messengers? Pastors?
Angels here can mean both angels or messengers.
The best assessment is that these were likely pastors.
John Maxwell, “Their work for God had actually distracted them from God! They had busy hands, crowded calendars, full heads—but empty hearts.”
seven stars - According to , angels of the seven churches
seven golden lampstands - According to , the seven churches
3 Questions Jesus addresses:
3 Questions Jesus addresses:
What are we doing right? (vv. 2-3, 6)
What are we doing right? (vv. 2-3, 6)
Working
Referring to the actual serving that was being rendered
Laboring
Laboring is more than work
Laboring is working to the point of exhaustion
Patient/Persevering
Persisting in the labor that produces work
They endured even in the midst of trials
Uncompromising with the truth
They didn’t just listen to those who spoke but tested what they heard.
They weren’t just passive listeners but engaged with the word that was preached to them.
They understood the truth of those arising within and outside the church to lead many astray.
They did as required in and tested the spirits.
They rejected the deeds of the Nicolaitans who created divisions in the church and led believers to immoral lifestyles.
Uncompromising with the truth
These were people who were zealous for righteousness.
Pushing forward
When the going got tough, the church kept going.
Pushing forward
They weren’t weary but happy to continue on doing good deeds
What are we doing wrong? (v. 4)
What are we doing wrong? (v. 4)
God sees beyond the external appearances to the heart of a person and the church
Underneath this healthy exterior was a heart condition
Left your first love!
I remember speaking with Brian Bailey a week or so ago and learning of a man that seemed to be very healthy and in an instant died from an underlying heart problem.
On the outside, everything may look great; but God is concerned with more than appearances!
A heart problem will eventually kill a person
A heart problem will eventually kill a church.
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all of one’s heart, soul, and strength.
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
When we call the church at Ephesus a loveless church, we do not mean that they didn’t have love for one another.
Although our love for others will be impacted by the way that we love Jesus.
What is meant is that they lost their first love: they abandoned their top priority: Jesus.
This is what we could reference as dead orthodoxy.
John Maxwell, “Their work for God had actually distracted them from God! They had busy hands, crowded calendars, full heads—but empty hearts.”
Picture a husband and wife that have this beautiful “honeymoon love” at the beginning.
As time passes, however, the excitement and wonder fades and life simply becomes routine.
Eventually, they take each other for granted, lose the closeness, live separate lives, and the marriage is in danger of collapse.
Such is the case for a loveless church.
Warren Wiersbe, “Just think of it: it is possible to serve, sacrifice, and suffer ‘for My name’s sake’ and yet not really love Jesus Christ!”
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Two: Christ and the Churches, Part 1 (Revelation 2)
Just think of it: it is possible to serve, sacrifice, and suffer “for My name’s sake” and yet not really love Jesus Christ!
What do we do now? (vv. 5, 7)
What do we do now? (vv. 5, 7)
What if we don’t? (v. 5b)
What if we don’t? (v. 5b)
Remember
Point 4
Point 4
Remember your first love
Literally to “keep on remembering”
What is meant is that they lost their first love: they abandoned their top priority: Jesus.
Ya’ll remember your first kiss? Your first date? Your wedding day? Your kid’s first day of school?
This times are forever marked in our minds as should be the time we first came to Christ in surrender.
Repent
Change our minds and Confess our sins
John Maxwell, “Their work for God had actually distracted them from God! They had busy hands, crowded calendars, full heads—but empty hearts.”
Abandon sin and return to God
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
5 They said, ‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.
Repeat
Repeat the First Works
Restoration of the original fellowship we had with God that was broken through sin and neglect.
Spending time in prayer, Bible reading, fasting, worship, fellowship with other believers
If not:
Jesus is coming
Not just His second coming, but a coming of judgment
The lampstand will be removed
Today, the city of Ephesus lies in ruin with no light shining there.
Such could be the case with Vienna if we’re not careful.
Douglas Mangum, “If a church fails to fulfill its function, it will not continue to exist.”
Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 2
If a church fails to fulfill its function, it will not continue to exist
If so:
Listen to the Spirit and respond accordingly
Receive God’s abundant life and provision
Challenge Question: Do we want to be a Loveless Church?
Challenge Question: Do we want to be a Loveless Church?
Our first love should be Jesus! But is it?