WHAT CHRIST IS SAYING TO THE CHURCH

ILLUSTRATION

9TH GRADE IN WORLD HISTORY WE WERE STUDYING THE RENAISSANCE

Leonardo da Vinci

MONA LISA

LAST SUPPER

I WAS NOT MUCH OF A FAN OF HISTORY THEN AND CERTAINLY HAD NO CLUE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ART AND PAINTING. SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW PAINTINGS PAINTED IN THE LATE 1TH AND EARLY 16TH CENTURY HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE 20TH CENTURY.

AND YET, HERE I WAS, IN THE 20TH CENTURY BEING EXAMINED BY ART THAT WAS PAINTED IN THE LATE 15TH AND EARLY 16TH CENTURY.

BECAUSE I HAD THAT ATTITUDE NOT ONLY DID I FAIL THAT EXAM, BUT I HATED THE NINJA TURTLES.

WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE, NOT ONLY WITH THE BIBLE, BUT IN CHAPTERS 2-3 WE HAVE SEVEN LETTERS WRITTEN TO SEVEN DIFFERENT CHURCHES IN THE ASIAN MINOR, WITH MESSAGES FROM JESUS IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

BUT THESE 1ST CENTURY LETTERS TO THESE FIRST CENTURY CHURCHES ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR HOW EACH CHURCH IS TO EXAMINE ITSELF, EVEN NOW, IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

WE CAN NOT PAY ATTENTION, AND WE CAN QUESTION WHY IWE ARE BEING EXAMINED BY FIRST CENTURY LETTERS - AND FAIL; OR WE CAN HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE US - THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH FROM THESE FIRST CENTURY LETTERS.

LET’S READ THE FIRST STATEMENT OF JESUS

Revelation 2:1 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.

Revelation 2:2 ESV

“ ‘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.

Revelation 2:3 ESV

I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.

Revelation 2:4 ESV

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

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.

Revelation 2:6 ESV

Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Revelation 2:7 ESV

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.’

TODAY’S SERMON: FIGHT TO OVERCOME BY FIGHTING TO LOVE

CHRIST WALKS AMONG THE CHURCHES

HE WALKS AMONG US – HE KNOWS NOT ONLY THE ACTIVITIES AND THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH BUT HE KNOWS THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND EVERY WORD AND EVERY ACTIVITY.

· THIS IS WHY HE SAYS “I KNOW.” THEY KNOW THAT HE IS OMNISCIENT AND KNOWS ALL THINGS, BUT THE STATEMENT, “I KNOW” IS MEANT TO CONVEY THE THOUHGT: “I SEE YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH.”

ILLUSTRATION: THAT ASSIGNMENT THAT YOU THOUGHT WAS PERFECT. YOU DIDN’T SPELL CHECK OR RE-READ IT BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT SHE WOULDN’T EITHER!!!!

I. REMEMBER FROM WHERE YOU HAVE FALLEN”

· Not so much how you used to love or how it used to be (this is included) BUT REMEMBER HOW FAR YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CROSS

“YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CROSS BECAUSE YOU HAVE FAILED TO MODEL THE CROSS.”

THAT’S WHERE YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM – HOW MUCH HE LOVED YOU

JESUS SAYS IN JOHN 15 12-

John 15:12 ESV

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

BUT BUT JESUS IS NOT ASKING THEM TO DO THEIR OWN REMEMBERING: HE IS REMEMBERING FOR THEM

THE SAME WITH US. HE IS NOT LEAVING IT UP TO US TO REMEMBER BUT FOR THOSE WHO KNOW HIM, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS SPEAKING TO YOU RIGHT NOW AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE IS SAYING TO YOU!

AND IF WHAT YOU ARE REMEMBERING IS

1. WHAT SOMEONE HAS DONE TO YOU

2. HOW SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO HEAR THIS

THAT AINT THE SPIRIT!

o YOU SEE, BECAUSE WHILE JESUS IS SPEAKING TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS, HE IS ALSO SPEAKING, INTIMATELY, WITH EVERYONE IN THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS – PERSONALLY!

THE CHURCH HAS FALLEN IN THESE DAYS IN TERRIBLE WAYS

II. REPENT OF YOUR SIN

SIN (MISSING THE MARK – NOT BEING OR DOING AS I OUT TO BE AND DO)

WHAT WAS THAT SIN? THEY ABANDONED THE LOVE THEY HAD AT FIRST

Revelation 1:4 ESV

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

TO ABANDON

to leave

to forsake

to give up

to lose

NOW, HERE THE CHALLENGE:

HERE IS THE PROCESS OF ABANDONMENT:

1. I LOSS THE LOVE FOR MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS BECAUSE

2. I STOPPED BEING LIKE CHRIST BECAUSE

3. I GAVE UP ON SPENDING TIME WITH CHRIST

WHENEVER I STRUGGLE WITH LOVE THREE PASSIONS ARE FRONT AND CENTER IN MY HEART AND LIFE

A. FOUR PASSIONS KILL LOVE

1. SELFISHNESS

a. STOP ACTING LIKE

i. ALL HAS TO BE MY WAY

ii. I SEE IT MORE CLEARLY THAN THEY DO

iii. SELFISHNESS IS TRICKY BECAUSE IT EXISTS WHEN SELF TALKS AND LISTENS ONLY TO SELF! NOTHING GOOD IS COMING FROM THAT

2. COMPLAINING

3. BITTERNESS

a. ANGER ON STEROIDS

b. PEOPLE ON STEROIDS – ITS THEIR BODY BUT IT HAS BEEN TOTALLY EXAGERATED WITH MUSCLES EVERYWHERE

c. I AM OFTEN ACCUSED OF BEING ON STEROIDS – BUT IM NOT, THIS IS ALL NATURAL!

4. BEING EXTRA CHRISTIAN

(PASSIVE)

I DRAW THIS FROM VERSE (WE WILL GO THERE AGAIN IN A BRIEF MOMENT) BUT NOTE WHAT JOHN SAYS (5C)

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.

NOTICE THAT JESUS IS TELLING THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO TO AND NOT WHAT HE WILL DO FOR THEM?

REMEMBER THESE TWO PRINCIPLES FROM VERSE 5

Principle 1: Love is your responsibility

Principle 2: If you are filled with the Spirit, you have the ability to love

SO, JOHN IS TELLING THEM THAT THEY SHOULD REPENT BECAUSE LOVE IS NOT ONLY THEIR RESPOINSIBILIUTY BUT THEY HAVE THE POWER TO FIGHT FOR IT BUT INSTEAD ABANDONED IT

III. RETURN TO YOUR FORMER PLACE

JOHN SAYS IN VERSE 5C

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.

WE ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO RETURN TO LOVING ONE ANOTHER LIKE JESUS LOVED US.

1. WHY SHOULD WE RETURN TO BEING LOVING CHRISTIANS?

a. LOVE IS THE MARK OF A GENUINE DISCIPLE

John 13:35 ESV

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

b. LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER PROVES CHRIST TO THE WORLD

JESUS PRAYED FOR US TO THE FATHER ASKING FOR US:

John 17:21 ESV

that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

c. LOVE IS THE PROOF OF OUR ETERNITY

JESUS SAYS IN VERS 5C

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.

THIS MEANS YOU DON’T HAVE TO. IT’S A CHOICE. WHY DOES JESUS LEAVE IT TO OUR CHOICE AND DOES NOT SIMPLY DO IT FOR US?

o OUR CHOICES PROVE CHRIST’S PLACE IN OUR HEARTS

o IT IS THE CRY OF JOSUAH – “CHOOSE YE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE”

v 5c- I WILL COME TO YOU AND REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTAND

EVEN THOUGH JESUS PROMISES THAT HE WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH AND THE GATES OF HELL WILL NOT PREVAIL - HE MEANS “HIS CHURCH.”

SOME CHURCHES ARE CHURCHES IN NAME BUT NOT IN REALITY.

BUT THE SAME IS TRUE WITH CHRISTIANS AS WELL!

V5D, 7: WHERE YOU STAND, NOW, WITH RESPECT TO LOVING THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS WHERE YOU STAND WITH RESPECT TO ETERNITY

- WHAT YOU DO IS NOT FOR YOUR SALVATION (CHRIST DID THAT ON THE CROSS) BUT WHAT YOU DO PROVES YOUR SALVATION

- SO YOU DO NOT LOVE OTHERS IN ORDER TO BE SAVED (YOU CANT LOVE THAT MUCH) BUT WE BETTER FIGHT TO LOVE AS PROOF THAT WE ARE SAVED.