The Church of Ephesus
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Text: Revelation 2:1-7
CIT: Explore the ideas of Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart
When writing to the church of Corinth the Apostle Paul gave a warning to the church.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Paul’s warning to the church is that we can go about the work of Christ clanging a bell and not really changing anything. You and I know this though don’t we. You have experienced it as easily as I have. We put in illustration the preacher in Ecclesiastes 7.8
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
We get started and running and soon we lose interest…We used to read the Bible daily.
…We used to teach a class
We used to win souls
We used to attend church regularly
We didn’t just do these things we actually gave ourselves to them. And I’m not so jaded as to think that the reason you did those things in years past was because people were applauding or their was a culture you were fitting into. I tend to believe that God’s people want to serve Jesus.
Which brings into focus the words of Jesus from Johns pen...
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Evidence That You May Have Left Your First Love
Spending time in prayer is a burden/duty rather than a delight.
Your worship is formal, dry, lifeless, merely going through the motions.
You are more concerned about physical health, well-being, and comfort than about the well-being and condition of your soul.
Your heart toward Christ is cold and indifferent; not tender as it once was, not easily moved by the Word, talk of spiritual things, etc.
Christianity is more of a checklist than a relationship with Christ.
You measure spirituality (yours/others’) by performance rather than the condition of the heart.
Your obedience and service are motivated and fueled by expectations of others or a desire to impress others, more than by passion for Christ.
You find yourself becoming resentful over the hardships and demands of serving Christ and others.
You have a hard time coming up with something fresh to share in a testimony service at church or when someone asks, “What’s God been doing in your life?”
You are critical or harsh toward those who are doctrinally off-base or living in sin.
You enjoy secular songs, movies, and books more than songs or reading material that point you to Christ.
“Little” things that used to disturb your conscience, no longer do.
You are slow to respond to conviction over sin—or you ignore it altogether.
You rarely give sacrificially to the Lord’s work.
Accumulating and maintaining material “things” consumes more time and effort on your part than seeking after and cultivating spiritual riches.
You have broken relationships with other believers that you are unwilling or have not attempted to reconcile.
https://www.reviveourhearts.com/articles/40-evidences-left-your-first-love/
Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
If we are honest it is easy to allow our walk with God to take a back seat to the business and entertainment of our daily life.
Recognize that we know alot about this great church in Ephesus. John knows that they had a really good beginning.
This work in Ephesus was started approximately twenty years after Jesus ascended when:
And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Paul knew the culture that surrounded this church and predicts there to be trouble in this church at Ephesus.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
About 10-14 years latter (AD. 60-64) Paul writes a letter to this church in Ephesus.
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
John knew that they currently had some good things going for them.
thy works
thy labour
thy patience (endurance to hardship)
can’t bear evil in the church
won’t put up with false teachers
they suffered for Jesus
they kept going in spite of the suffering
1. Church’s can have their act together and still be missing the most important thing.
This church was centered on laboring and ministering together. (v2) They hadn't forgotten how important it was to be involved in the work of the Lord. They had the attitude that no Christian is saved to sit on the sideline. There are plenty of churches that have people sitting on the sidelines and all they want to do is focus on the Word of God. They don’t want to distract themselves with the things of ministry and miss out on all the good teacing. Here’s the problem with that kind of thinking. It doesn’t please God.
We are created unto good works.
He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin...
However it is possible to have all the ministries in the right place and miss the main thing.
This church had remained true to truth. They understood that life and death don't run in the same crowd. They knew that light and dark have no fellowship. Be thankful that we have the truth today. This world is starving for truth and we can see it in the overwhelming desire for anything that calls itself knowledge. Here me we are at that place where the culture doesn’t want truth they want information. In fact if you have guts to be dogmatic that you have the truth the world will push you away. but if you are willing to throw your idea in the worlds and mix it around with the foolishness they bring then they will hear you out. This is why the most popular preachers today can fill stadiums but can’t answer how the Bible views homosexuality or marriage.
Count yourself blessed to hold this precious old book in your hand.
Its true from beginning to end.
It's a solid foundation where I firmly stand,
Sin kept me from it; now it keeps me from sin.
One thing I've found to be true:
If you find when you read it that there's something wrong,
Then there's something wrong with you.
They endured hardships (v3). This passage is the idea that they were continuing even when they didn’t understand. Jesus wasn’t explaining everything to them. Paul didn’t explaining everything to them but they continued.
We have been there haven’t we? We have said look at what God has done. God I will never go back I will never allow this to be taken from me. I have, I have said God you gave me what I have prayed for you have given victory, supply, money, restoration; you have put me back on my feet and I will never go back. You have felt the sinking feeling of waking up to see you did go back. You did let yourself slide.
Jesus extends to grace to correct course:
He asks them to Remember - Many of the Christians problems rest in the fact that we forget far to easy. This is why we must give thanks to the Lord for giving us his word.
He commands them to Repent - This tells us a little about how Jesus sees this condition.
It is sin. - it needs to be repented of.
It is punishable - it disqualifies a church.
He calls them to the First works - Enjoy serving Jesus the way that you used too. Remember what it felt like remember how it excited you.
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
It is the humble pursuit of the believer to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart...