The Church of Ephesus
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Revelation 2:1-7
As we concluded chapter one, we observed our Lord standing in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks or the seven churches of Asia Minor.
The significance of these seven churches can be seen in the chart on our introductory notes.
Overview of the Seven Churches
Practically Viewed — To Seven Literal Churches
Ephesus — The Formal Church — “Shifting Its Love”
Smyrna — The Faithful Church — “Fragrant When Crushed”
Pergamos — The Faltering Church — “Where Satan Dwelleth”
Thyatira —The False Church— “Rome Rule with an Iron Fist”
Sardis — The Fruitless Church — “Has a Name but Are Dead”
Philadelphia—The Fruitful Church— “Church of the Open Door”
Laodicea — The Fashionable Church — “Neither Cold nor Hot”
Perennially Viewed — Addressing Conditions Relevant to Local Churches in All Ages
Ephesus — The Issue of Orthodoxy (Sound Doctrine)
Smyrna — The Issue of Persecution
Pergamos — The Issue of Clericalism — (Separation of Clergy)
Thyatira — The Issue of Sacerdotalism (System Emphasizing Priesthood)
Sardis — The Issue of Liberalism
Philadelphia — The Issue of Revivalism
Laodicea — The Issue of Materialism
Prophetically Viewed-Churches Represent a Period of Time
Ephesus Early Church — Purposed - Apostolic — Post-Apostolic Age (35-105 AD)
Smyrna — Persecuted Church — Myrrh - Pre-Nicene Age (54-312 AD)
Pergamos — Patronized Church — Much Marriage - Nicene - Post - Nicene Age (312-500 AD)
Thyatira — Papal Church — Odor of Affliction - Medieval Age 1 (500-1000 AD)
Sardis — Papal Protestant Church — Brotherly Love - Medieval Age 11 (Dark Ages) (1000-1600)
Philadelphia Practical Church — Brotherly Love - Reformation/Revival Age (1500-1914 AD)
Laodicea — Passive Apostate Church — People 's Rights - Modem Day Age (1914-Rapture)
(Explaining Revelation, Phillips)
Introduction
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
The church of Ephesus is the first church mentioned.
The City of Ephesus was an urban city of the Roman Empire.
A cosmopolitan city of various classes of people.
population somewhere between 250,000 and 500,000 people.
It was the location of the Temple of Diana — one of the seven wonders of the world.
The Church at Ephesus was a center for world evangelism during the ministry of the Apostle Paul.
This city is not an easy place for a church. It was surrounded by paganism, materialism, immorality and idol worship.
Yet, God planted a church in this much needed location.
It was the only church to receive letters from two apostles (Paul & John).
Paul founded the church, then left it in the hands of Priscilla and Aquila.
They were later joined by Apollos a powerful preacher.
Then on his third missionary journey, Paul returned and ended up spending almost three years ministering there.
Later, Timothy pastored the church.
Some believe that John had been the pastor here when he was arrested and sent in exile to the island of Patmos.
If he did he may have only been recently been there.
Many of the first generation of the church had been martyred.
Christ gives his message to this church.
To each church that he addresses Christ reveals himself in ways that are unique to that church’s context and specific problem.
Here he reveals himself as the one “that holdeth the seen stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.”
It had now been a decade or more since it’s founding, and they needed to renew their love that they had first had.
They still looked to Christ as head...middle of candlesticks.... Most scholars believe the stars/angels refers to the Pastors of the churches that are in His hand.
But the overwhelming characteristic of the church is that the church had lost its first love (vs. 4).
This church was no longer red-hot for Jesus.
(The furnace was still there, but the fire had gone out.)
I. The Reputation of the Church
I. The Reputation of the Church
(I know thy works)
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
A. A Caring Church
A. A Caring Church
Works — a serving, working church...fervency.
Labor — Undoubtedly, like the church of Thessalonica (Rev. 2:3) — Their labor was a labor of love.
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
The word toil means to work to the place of exhaustion - this was not a lazy church.
In fact many Bible teachers believe that most of the other churches of these seven were planted by this church.
Patience — Plenty of work even if no results come…possibly patience through persecution as well.
Ephesus could not have been an easy place to have a church, or to raise a godly family.
Yet the church remained steadfast.
I praise the Lord that we are seeing growth in our church, but whether we see growth and results or not, we need to be steadfast!
God's will is that we “do the will of God from the heart” Eph. 6:6
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Not just to see results
B. A Contending Church
B. A Contending Church
2b ...and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Nicolaitans — Name means Ruler of the people
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 3531. Νικολαΐτης Nikolaı̈́tēs
An ancient sect whose deeds were expressly and strongly reprobate
The New Testament is silent about defining who these people were, but an early church father Irenaeus states that htey led “lives of unrestrained indulgence” (Against Heresies, Book I, Chapter 26)
This is not a Biblical reference, however it gives us a historical view.
They stood against evil and apostasy.
Paul had warned them when He was with them in Acts 20
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Sure enough heresy soon began to invade the church.
But this church stood for truth.
The Corinthian church allowed evil.
This church did not accept every “apostle”.
They practiced — I John 4:1
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
We must be careful not to be seduced by false teachers who bring doubt to the Word of God.
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
We must stand on the Word of God!
And then we see thirdly that this church was a ...
C. A Consistent Church
C. A Consistent Church
Rev. 2:3 They had struggled on...
Some churches never see Salvations, or Baptisms or Missions giving.
I praise the Lord that we are seeing these happen here, but I hope that we will strive for more!
What made the difference in this church was that they continued to do right, and did not faint.
They had borne (had carried - the gospel)
had patience - endured through hardships
had laboured - specifically for Christ’s name sake.
had not fainted - had not grown feeble.
We need to pray for our church that we will continue until the end!
Do not assume that because we have been faithful for 166 years that we will automatically remain faithful for the next 166 years!
It takes purposeful commitment.
This church in Ephesus had quite a reputation!
But now let’s see ...
II. The Regression of the Church
II. The Regression of the Church
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Jesus said, Nevertheless…you have been faithful…and I’m proud of you for that..however...
I hate those words!
What was Christ’s admonition?
A. Their Passion Waned
A. Their Passion Waned
4b ...because thou hast left thy first love.
They had lost their first love
They had failed to keep the fire burning for their love of Christ.
It is very possible to be a busy in ministry and to love ministry more than you love Christ.
They had failed to keep the main thing the main thing!
The old hymn says, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love.”
Jesus with eyes aflame says — “I have somewhat against this church.”
There are expectations for Deacons and Trustees and even Teachers in our church…but if you have a true love for God, you don’t need any expectations.
We do not serve out of duty or for praise — we serve for LOVE!
Mary and Martha are an example of this.
Unless we recommit to the priority of loving Christ, our love will grow cold as well.
2 Corinthians 5:14
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us...
Don't lose your passion for your ministry!
Don’t lose your passion for Christ!
B. Their Persuasion Waned
B. Their Persuasion Waned
5a Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen
They were in a fallen state and because of this their light was diminished!
Far too many churches have been rendered nothing more than a meeting hall because they have lost their passion for Christ.
The church is about more than meeting together…
it is about serving one another,
It’s about reaching out for souls of the lost,
its about being a lighthouse in our community.
But when we lose our passion we lose our persuasion with the community around us.
We see in the rest of verse 5 the result...
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
It’s the light of Christ, but it is placed upon a lampstand so that it can shine forth.
The persuasion of the church is lost, when the passion of the church is lost
III. The Reproof to the Church
III. The Reproof to the Church
Looking at the three reproofs that this church receives will help us if we find ourselves having left our first love.
A. Remember
A. Remember
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen...
Remembering is key to spiritual growth.
Peter told his audience, 2 Peter 3:1
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
Paul told Timothy…
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
The Psalmist encourage us to...
5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
Remember when you loved the Bible, soul winning, prayer, etc.
If you have fallen from your first love, remember back to the days that the fire burned hot.
Secondly...
B. Repent
B. Repent
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Repent means a Change of Mind - It speaks to both a change of Heart Attitude and Direction
The result of this repentance is a return to the first works.
A marriage would grow cold if the wife performed all the duties of the wife, but without the genuine love for her husband.
So a church will grow cold if the members lose their first love - Christ.
The first love ought not be
Style of worship
Bible version
Position in the church
Numerical growth
Financial stability
Preference of preachers
The first love must be Christ!
do you love Christ first and foremost, if not we need to repent today!
Love is a choice, not a feeling!
They were standing for right...
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
They stood for right, but they forgot the most important thing!
Works of love...A lot of people in our churches hate evil (vs. 6), but we are not loving the Lord.
Remember your first love
Repent of your move away from it.
And then...
C. Receive
C. Receive
Receive what? The Words of the Lord - Rev. 2:7 Receive the reproof
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
All of the saved will be refreshed.
To not receive this warning is to invite danger.
Verse 5 has very ominous warning…Repent…or else I will come unto you quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place...
The warning to this church is very applicable to us today!
Our own light will be extinguished, our own identity will be lost, if we stubbornly continue to abandon our love for Christ.
This doesn’t speak to a loss of salvation, but the benefits of salvation.
How many today have lost their first love, and struggle with the loss of their true identity in Christ…this is a cause of many sorrows we see around us, even among Christians.
Peoples priorities change
They depend upon temporal things, rather than on Christ
Negativity reigns in their hearts
They have lost their joy, and depression rules
They have lost their peace
It all started when they lost their first love.
Conclusion
Conclusion
All of us can slip into this state like the Church at Ephesus
Are you living on a past reputation of love and faithfulness?
I used to be a deacon
I used to be a Sunday School Teacher
You may not be able to do those things any more…and that is ok…but what are you doing as a result of your love for Christ?
Love is an action verb!
We need to remember our first love
We need to repent if we have lost it
WE need to receive the Word of Christ - and do the works that you did at the first.
Whoever you are, you can be a witness for Christ!
You speak about those people you love!
I have seen so many people get married, you see the love that they have for one another, and it feels like a fairy tale.
The newly wedded couple run off to their honeymoon, and they are full of life, love and hope.
Somewhere along the line, far too many times, they lose the remembrance of that first love.
They begin to grow apart, and the love grows cold, stale and stagnant.
Things become routine and mechanical within the marriage.
Then far too often the couple just calls it quits.
How many times have I seen this in the life of believers as well!
People grow cold, they don’t sing the songs of God like they used to.
They don’t sit open and ready to hear from God during the preaching.
They just go through the motions of church attendance, or even service.
Their hearts are no longer fully engaged, and soon enough they begin to drop some of the things that they once did.
They stop coming to the evening services,
They stop serving in the church,
Pretty soon they stop being faithful to Sunday Morning services.
And before long they just fall away.
I have seen it so many times… I just need to take a break becomes a break away from the church.
There is nothing wrong with taking a break!
As long as you actively guard against this progression!
Don’t lose why we are doing this!
We do it because we love Christ!
Not out of duty
Not out of pressure
Not out of a need for importance
Not out of a love for pastor, or for church
We do this because of our first love - The one that brought us to Christ…the one who first loved us!