Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Scripture

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction

Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction

Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus

Revelation 2:1 - Address

Revelation 2:2-6 - Message to the Church

Revelation 2:7 - Command to Hear

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

Jesus commends the Ephesians for standing firm in truth, but rebukes them because they have lost their first love.

His call is for them to repent and return to their first works or else He would judge them accordingly.

Revelation 2:1 - Address

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

To the angel of the church

Celestial being responsible for oversight

There is help for them in the heavenly realm

In Ephesus

Key Points

• Ephesus was a major commercial port city and an important node on the north-south and east-west road system, and thus a strategic hub for the immediate and ongoing work of a missionary/church planter like Paul and his team.

• The worship of Artemis and the city’s identity and pride were intertwined from the founding of Ephesus, making devotion to Artemis a natural rallying point against an invasive monotheistic cult.

• Ephesus enthusiastically and devoutly supported the Roman imperial cult, with a marked upsurge toward the end of the first century as it was awarded its first provincial imperial temple.

This is the climate and situation to which John’s Revelation would appear to respond most directly for Ephesian Christians.

• The commercial structures and activity of Ephesus, particularly as a collection point for shipments heading west to Greece and, most especially, Rome, is another important point of connection with Revelation’s critique of the Roman imperial economy and the practices that sustain it.

Write

Command given to John

The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

The words of him

Old Testament wording revealing the prophetic tone of these letters

Seven stars… seven gold lampstands

Christ has authority over the seven stars - angels

Christ is in the midst of His churches

Revelation 2:2-6 - Message to the Church

I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance,

I know your works

Christ has all discernment as previously mentioned

Your toil

Patient endurance

They have not given up the fight for faith despite opposition

John is fostering a spirit of goodwill with the readers

And how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, found to be false.

With those who are evil

False apostles who are working to subvert the Gospel

Apostles

Not in the sense of the 12 or Paul

False apostles were also missionaries who would travel to church to church spreading false doctrine

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

Enduring patiently

Bearing up

Notice who the conflict is with - WITHIN

Not grown weary

They have not abandoned Christ despite rejection and persecution

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

Abandoned the love you had at first

Love for God

Love for one another

Their commitment against false teaching has led to all head with no heart for God/Christians/or the world

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.

Remember

Command

Repent

Command

Where you have fallen

Previously they loved God and one another deeply

Their love led to actions

Do the works you did at first

Do - command

Obedience is required here

They are commanded to love God/Christians as they did first

If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

I will come to you

Come against you

If there is no repentance, judgment will follow

This is NOT the second coming

Remove your lampstand

Failure to repent will lead to the church being removed

Lose their status among the other churches or deemed to be an illegitimate church

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

Nicolaitans

Revelation 2:7 - Command to Hear

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Let him hear

Command

Meant to provoke to get the church to hear and obey

Reality that there are believers and non-believers who hear this message in the churches

Some will be enlightened, some blinded

Spirit

The Spirit is active and at work through Jesus’ letters to the seven churches

To the churches

Both to the church in Ephesus, but also to the churches of all ages

To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Conquers

Those who persevere

Eat of the tree of life and paradise of God

Paradise of God