Rev. 2:1-7 Ephesus: The Church that lost love
Intro: Last week we got a good look at the Glorified Christ. We see very clearly by His titles and His description Jesus is indeed God in the flesh. We are transitioning from the things which thou hast seen to the things which are (1:19). In chapters 2 & 3 we have seven letters written to seven churches. These letters have been understood in various ways by various people. I think it is important that we understand these letters in three ways: 1. The letters are literal and are written to literal churches in Asia. These churches had real problems & real needs and were given real promises. Each letter begins with a description of Christ from ch. 1:9-20. Each letter has the statement I know thy works
Each letter has a special promise to him that overcometh
Each letter has the same concluding statement he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the spirit sayeth to the churches
(these were meant to be read by all churches). 2. The letters have personal application for every believer in every church in every age. In every church age there is an Ephesian type believer, and a Smyrna type of believer, etc, etc
. Consequently, we will all likely see ourselves to some degree or another as we study these letters
These letters provide us test whereby we might examine our own spiritual status. 3. The letters represent the chronological spiritual development of the church over time. In other words, the seven churches mentioned represent the seven stages/ages of the church from Pentecost to the Rapture. The Church of Laodicea is the last church mentioned and that type of church will be on the scene when Christ comes back to the earth. Many say we are already in Laodicean Age.
The City: Ephesus was the most important city in Asia Minor. Its estimated population was @250,000 to 500,000 people. It had a theatre that held @25,000 people. The city was located at the junction of four of the most important roads in Asia Minor and the most important harbor in Asia was located here. It was famous for the Temple of Diana, its most prominent landmark. Inside the Temple was one of the most important banks in Asia and a major Art gallery. The worship of Diana was unspeakably vile & depraved. Many of the priestess served basically as prostitutes. The philosopher Heraclitus said, one could not live in Ephesus and not weep over its immorality. Now in the midst of this environment, was a church of faithful people.
The Church: Priscilla, Azuila, and Apollows basically laid the groundwork for a church. Paul later went there and worked there for three years establishing a church. During this time many people were saved. Many of those who practiced magic brought there books together and burned them publicly. The equivalent dollar amount of the materials burned was 50,000 days of a workers wages according to Acts 19:19. That would be about $6,000,000.00 in todays wages if we used $15 per hour. That is an amazing amount of materials and shows the depth of their involvement in the magic arts.
Prop: Christians should not let their love for the Lord diminish.
I. We need to consider the Description of Christ to the church of Ephesus (1).
Christ describes Himself to this church as he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks (2:1). This is obviously a reference to the depiction seen by John in 1:13 & 16. This helps to establish this as a direct message from the Glorified Christ to the specific local church at Ephesus and to congregations like them in the future. He says by this that He is the one who holds authority in the church, and He is in their midst assessing and evaluating them.
II. We need to consider the Diagnosis of the church of Ephesus (2:2-4, 6). Jesus Christ tells the pastor (the angel of the church) that He knows what is going on in the church. This is a complete and a full knowledge of the situation. He has some good news and some bad news
.for the church.
A. The Good News to the Church [Commendation] (2:2-3, 6).
1. They were a doing church. (I know thy works v.2). works (ergo) = is speaking of deeds in general. They were busy, going, doing, serving, etc
They werent lazy & they didnt spend have a lot of idle time. We often downplay works because we dont want people to think wrongly that works will save them. However, works is an important part of the Christian life. (Eph 2:10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
2. They were a dedicated church. (I know thy labor v.2). Labor means toiling to the point of sweat & exhaustion physically, mentally and emotionally. Typically most of the work done is done by a few (90% done by 10%). I was thinking about all of the good hard working people we have had leave. We have more scheduled to leave this year. It is going to be really hard around here if we dont have people step up and fill in the gap. It sounds as if this church had more than than 10% working so hard. They were not simply sitting on the side-lines, or even worse in the stands, they were out there doing the job even though it cost them personally.
3. They were a determined church. (I know thy patience v.2). patience = a perseverance in hardship and suffer and loss. The Ephesians remained faithful to the Lord and kept on in spite of their circumstances.
4. They were a disciplining church (they didnt bear evil men, v.2). They refused to tolerate those who practiced evil. They wanted their church to be pure and holy. Undoubtedly they practiced church discipline as the Lord mandated in Matthew 18 in order to keep the church pure.
5. They were a discerning church (v.2, 6).
a. They tried supposed apostles (v.2) It is not clear if they claimed this position by:
(1) That they had been called to that office after the Saviour ascended, as Paul was; or,
(2) That they claimed the honor due to this name or office, in virtue of some election to it; or,
(3) That they claimed to be the successors of the apostles, and to possess and transmit their authority.
It doesnt matter much in my opinion. The Ephesians deemed them liars.
b. They hated the deed of the Nicolaitans (v6) - We can not say for certain who these people were. Here are two common bleifs.
(1) Nicolaitans were a group of people who followed Nicolas, one of the seven deacons mentioned Acts 6:5. However, there is not any evidence that he apostatized.
(2) Nicolaitans were a group people who tried to elevate certain people within the church creating a distinction between those in the ministry and those in the laity. This belief resulted from the breaking the word down into its component parts (nico = victory/conquer + laos = people). They would say this was the early stages of setting up Bishops, Archbishops, etc
like the RCC have now. Again, we dont really know. However, some early church fathers wrote that they were guilty of various immoral things, that they ate meats offered to idols and they mixed several pagan rites with the Christian ceremonies. Verse three tells us they did all of this for Christs name sake.
B. The Bad News to the Church [Condemnation] (2:4). The bad news is marked by the word nevertheless.
they left their first love; Christ no longer had the place of prominence He once had in their lives. You know how it is when you are first saved and you cant wait to get into Gods Word; or go to church; or be around other Christians; or talk to the Lord in prayer; or even give your tithe to Him. Life is good and you are so thankful for you salvation
. The honeymoon kind of love that they had for the Lord when they were first saved had now declined. I think most married people readily understand what is meant here. When you first fell in love, you hung every word your spouse said now you tune them out or half way listen
When you first fell in love and they walked into the room you got a sparkle in your eye
. When you first fell in love every little the thing they did was greatly appreciated and now they are often take for granted
When you first fell in love you brought her flowers, wrote poetry, brought her candy and opened the car doors
Now? Doctrinally and most every way we can think of the church at Ephesus was good. By all external appearance the church was a great church. They were good & they were busy. However, the church had a heart problem their heart grew cold.
III. We need to consider the Demands given to the church of Ephesus (2:5). Three commands are given and they relate to the past, present and future.
A. Remember = Consider the state of grace in which you once stood; the happiness, love, and joy which you felt when ye received remission of sins; the zeal ye had for Gods glory and the salvation of mankind; your willing, obedient spirit, your cheerful self-denial, your fervor in private prayer, your detachment from the world, and your heavenly-mindedness. Remember - consider, all these (Clarke).
B. Repent = They must be inwardly grieved and ashamed for their sinful declension; they must blame themselves, and shame themselves, for it, and humbly confess it in the sight of God, and judge and condemn themselves for it (Matthew Henry).
C. Repeat = They must go back step by step, and do again those things they used to do. They must endeavour to revive and recover their first zeal, tenderness, and seriousness, and must pray as earnestly, and watch as diligently, as they did when they first set out in the ways of God (Matthew Henry). Application: Christians & churches: need to do these steps. Married couples who have left their first love need to do these same three steps. I know some of you may say I dont feel like doing those things anymore
. Right Feelings will often follow right actions.
IV. We need to consider the Danger faced by the church of Ephesus (2:5b):
There is a warning given here. It does NOT mean a loss of personal salvation for disobedience. The warning is about removal of the effective witness of the church. The church will no longer be a light to their community. The pastor may be taken away. The church itself may even be closed. Remember when the glory of Lord departed from the Temple of the Lord and the people didnt realize it.
V. We need to consider the Promise given to those in the church of Ephesus (2:7):
Overcomers = An overcomer does not refer to Christians who are obedient to the commands to remember, repent & repeat. Neither is an overcomer one who perseveres, although the Christian life is a warfare against sin, Satan, the world, and the flesh. I believe all true Christians will persevere and will not deny the Lord. An overcomer is a synonym for the genuine child of God. All Believers are overcomers. All Christians will be granted the chance to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Thus each Christian will be confirmed in perfect holiness .
(1 John 5:4-5) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is a promise to the individual believer, that he will have access to the tree of life regardless of what happens to the local church.
Conclusion: We need to consider today what the Spirit said the Church at Ephesus.
Invitation: More than likely there is here today: A Christian who has left their first love for the Lord. Is it you? A person who has never loved Jesus Christ and put their faith in Him. Is it you? Maybe there is a man or a woman who is struggling in their marriage because they have left their first love for their mate. Is it you?
