My Light is Magified Through the Church
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My Light is Magnified Through the Church
INTRODUCTION
ILL- Cell Tower while Deer Hunting- for over 20 years I have hunted on a property that had a cell tower right across county road from the entrance. Follow the red blinking light- shows where to turn and then where we parked.
Last couple years the light has been burned out.
The church is the lampstand. It is our responsibility to show the light of Jesus.
We are all the body of Christ.
We are all the light of Christ- reflecting from us. - It takes all of us.
Revelation 2:1-7
1 “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.
2 “ ‘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.
3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
5 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.
6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 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.’
Trip Through Ephesus
Harbor city, 250,000 people, richest city in richest Roman area.
Most prosperous commercial center in their day.
Roman theatre seated 24,000
Temple of Artemis, built 550 BC
Largest building in Greek world.
All marble, 127 columns, 60 ft. tall, one of 7 wonders of world.
Magical practices.
The pride and joy of the city.
Jews worshipped freely in synagogue.
Then Paul shows up (spends 2 years here)
Many people converted
An exorcist who used name of Jesus gets possessed by demon and kills self.
The event causes a great harvest.
New believers burned their magic books-- 50,000 days wages.
That is $7,000,000 at US average daily salary.
That is $2,900,000 at minimum wage.
That doesn’t count the economic impact.
Mob Scene- Gaius and Aristarchus were dragged to theatre.
A Jewish believer named Alexander tried to give a defense...
They saw he was a Jew and FOR 2 HOURS cried out
“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians”
Paul left after this but the church survived.
Picture of Jesus (Pictured differently for each church)
Revelation 2:1
1 “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.
Because of great past leadership- Paul, Timothy, John (Who receives this vision)
he reminds them he is the one who holds the messengers.
He reminds them he is the one who holds the churches= Lampstands
We are called to be the light of the world. We are light through the local church.
4 Truths Concerning Jesus' Light
1. We Are Entrusted with the Light (1)
1. We Are Entrusted with the Light (1)
Revelation 2:1
1 “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.
Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
We are not called to hide- but to shine.
As America secularizes, the church stands out. Bigger contrast.
We must not hide.
We must shine
Our neighbors must see the light/ family/ co-workers -
Light cannot hide.
2. We Show Light Through Good Works (2-3, 6)
2. We Show Light Through Good Works (2-3, 6)
Revelation 2:2-3
2 “ ‘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.
3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
Matthew 5:16
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
4 Ways We Shine Light
Serving= full schedule of weekly events. Serving each other and world.
Serving= full schedule of weekly events. Serving each other and world.
Acts 5:42
42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
1 Peter 4:10
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
Laboring = sacrificial labor= toil to the point of exhaustion
Laboring = sacrificial labor= toil to the point of exhaustion
Sorghum Days
Enduring = Patient Endurance= perseverance under trials and persecution.
Enduring = Patient Endurance= perseverance under trials and persecution.
Revelation 2:3
3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
Maintained forward motion even during hard days.
Endurance is needed while suffering.
Did it all for “His name’s sake”
We have Christ’s name- must live worthy of it.
ILL-- Wewoka-- Vallandingham legacy
Examining= took Word of God and its interpretation seriously.
Examining= took Word of God and its interpretation seriously.
Good doctrine matters.
Did not tolerate sin nor false doctrine in churches.
Revelation 2:6
6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Nicolaitans= “to conquer the people”
“lorded it over”
Robbed church of its liberties.
They initiated terms clergy and laity- not found in N.T.
3. We Must Not Let the Light Dim (4)
3. We Must Not Let the Light Dim (4)
Revelation 2:4
4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
Until this verse it seemed like a perfect church.
Jesus looks beyond outward appearances to the heart.
We must not just look good.
They abandoned their first love.
Wording seems intentional.
30 years earlier- Paul commended them for their love.
Now God is threatening to remove candlestick.
Revelation 2:5
5 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.
None of these 7 churches are still around.
Del Norte is only here until we stop serving out of love.
Death of a church begins when it stops serving out of a love relationship with Jesus.
First Love= the devotion and excitement of the first saved.
ILL- my first day in school after my salvation - telling teacher.
The church’s problem is that its individual members forgot what it was like to get saved.
They replaced the relationship with religion.
ILL- divorce after 40 years- “became a job, not a relationship.”
4. We Must Magnify the Light (5)
4. We Must Magnify the Light (5)
Revelation 2:5
5 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.
3 Ways to Magnify the Light
A- Remember -- “Keep on remembering”
A- Remember -- “Keep on remembering”
Never stop remembering what it was like when God changed your life. - meditate on that time.
The longer its been the easier to forget.
Forgetting leads to legalism and judgment of others.
B- Repent= change directions.
B- Repent= change directions.
C- Repeat= go back to serving like you did when you were first saved.
C- Repeat= go back to serving like you did when you were first saved.
CONCLUSION
Revelation 2:7
7 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.’
Conquers= literally “overcomes” - Same Greek word as translated “overcomes”...
Who is an overcomer?
1 John 5:4-5
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Those who put their faith in Jesus are overcomers.
Not about losing salvation- but about true salvation.
Are you an overcomer?
Are you an overcomer?
Is your light magnified through serving through the local church?