(To download this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)
This is a sermon based on Revelation 2:1-7, the message to the church of Ephesus. It speaks about the need for believers to retain their initial love for God.
Written Excerpts:
Rev. 2:4 Nevertheless I have this
against you, that you have left your first love.
Introduction:We are returning today to the book of Revelation for a look at a specific message to a specific audience about a specific topic. The message is given to John by the Lord Himself. It is a message to be given to the “angel” of the
Before we launch into the message to the
Who are the “angels” of the seven churches?
Who or what are the seven churches?
And, what do we know about
A. The word “angel” is a word that can also be translated as
messenger and as such, can also carry the additional meaning of “pastor” or
“bishop.”
There is a viewpoint that refers to the common Jewish and Greek understanding that every earthly thing has a heavenly counterpart. So, the angels would be the heavenly counterpart or representation of the churches themselves.
There is a viewpoint that refers to the common Jewish and Greek understanding that every earthly thing has a heavenly counterpart. So, the angels would be the heavenly counterpart or representation of the churches themselves.
Most other scholars generally
fall into one of two positions. Some believe that the word “angels” is a way of
referring to specific messengers from the churches that were receiving the
revelation from John and delivering it back to their congregations.
Others believe that the word is
referring to the pastors or bishops/ elders of the churches. This view would
likely be based on the OT passage in Mal. 2:7 where the word “messenger”
(angel) is equivalent to priest.
In any case, the message is
being delivered to one who seems to be responsible for delivering it back to
the general congregation.
B. The seven churches…
We do know that there were churches during the first century in all seven of these cities mentioned here. We also know that there were more than seven churches in the province of Asia (modern-dayTurkey
Why only seven? And what do they represent?
We do know that there were churches during the first century in all seven of these cities mentioned here. We also know that there were more than seven churches in the province of Asia (modern-day
Why only seven? And what do they represent?
You’ve heard me say many times
before and you’ll hear it again, the number seven represents perfection and
completion. It is probably God’s way of telling us that these messages really
relate to the entire church or the complete church.
Some have put forth the idea
that the seven churches represent seven successive eras in the history of the
church. According to this view then, the seventh and last church (Laodicea
However, since this is a
prophecy and since there were actual churches identified by these names during
the time of the author’s writing, I agree with the scholars who say we should
understand this the same as we would any other prophecy. The prophecy had specific meaning and relevance to the original
audience, but it has specific application
to all believers in every era or age
throughout the history of the church.
This means that in every
generation of the Christian church, there are believers who can be described as
having similar qualities and faults as each congregation mentioned here.
C. What do we know about Ephesus
We probably remember Ephesus
We also know that Paul loved the
people there very much as displayed in the emotional farewell address he gives
to them on his way back to Jerusalem where he knows he will face persecution. Ephesus
was one of the churches that also received a letter from the Apostle Paul when
he was imprisoned in Rome
Some additional information
about Ephesus Ephesus Roman Empire , giving it the privilege of
self-government (within limits) and to be free of Roman troops garrisoned
there.
In the midst of all this evil,
there had been a thriving church with which people were associated through its
early history that we recognize: Paul, Aquila ,
Priscilla, Apollos, Timothy, and finally even John.
Now that we have talked about
these introductory matters, let us quickly examine the message offered to the
church at Ephesus
I. A Word of Revelation
In all but one of the messages
to the seven churches, Christ provides a descriptive revelation about Himself
that is repeated from the descriptions given in chapter 1, verses 12-18, and by
which Christ reveals that He is divine.
(Barclay) These descriptions and
titles are used in relation to God in the OT and now Jesus is revealing Himself
in the same way to John.
A. “…holds seven stars in his right hand.”
(Barclay) In the OT, it is God
himself who controls the stars. (Job 38:31, God asks Job who controls the
constellations?)
We already learned in chapter
one that the stars are the “angels of the seven churches” (1:20), i.e. the
messengers, bishops or leaders of the churches. This would imply His
sovereignty and control over the churches.
The grammatical structure of
this sentence shows that He does not hold onto a portion of the stars
(churches), but He holds the whole group in His hand.
B. “walks in the midst of the candlesticks.”
Christ is always present in the
Church. Wherever believers have met in the name of Christ, He is there in the
midst.Christ gives a word of
revelation about himself and that primarily shows Him as the Lord of the church
and the constant companion of the church.
Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is
building his church; he is governing his church; and he is communing with his
church in every age in every language and culture and in every circumstance,
whether good or bad.
II. A Word of Commendation
A. Toil or labor (v. 2)
(Barclay) … this is the kind of
toil which takes everything of mind and sinew that a man can put into it. The
Christian way is not for the man who fears to break a sweat… [either physically
or in prayer].
B. Endurance or perseverance (vv. 2, 3)
(Barclay) …not resigned patience
[of a slave], but courageous gallantry which accepts suffering and hardships
and turns them into grace and glory.
C. Zeal for truth (vv. 2, 6)
These Christians apparently had
a reputation for examining the claims and credentials of self-proclaimed
leaders and sorted out the fakes.
They also took a clear stand
against the immoral and promiscuous standards of the society that had
infiltrated the professing church.
They refused to bend in order to
accommodate and compromise with the culture. They weren’t interested in being
known as a church that was willing to abandon its emphasis on holiness and
separation from ungodly behaviors.
III. A Word of Accusation
Left your first love (v. 4)
(Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown
Commentary) “…thirty years had elapsed since Paul had written his Epistle to
them. Their warmth of love had given place to a lifeless orthodoxy. Compare
Paul's view of faith so called without love, 1Co 13:2.
(Albert Barnes) In this respect
they were in a state of declension; and though they still maintained the
doctrines of his religion, and opposed the advocates of error, they showed less
ardor of affection towards him directly than they had formerly done.
IV. A Word of Exhortation (v. 5)
A. Remember
The first step to recovery of
something that has been lost is to remember
what one had in the beginning. Without that recollection of the former state,
it will not be possible to
B. Repent
Literally, experience a complete
change of thinking and acting. Practically speaking, repentance
means that you do not and cannot go on the same direction and manner you’ve
been g
C. Revive original works/spirit
(Matthew Henry's Commentary)
They must return and do their first works. They must as it were begin again, go
back step by step, till they come to the place where they took the first false
step; they must endeavor 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.
There have been various times
when I have explicitly stated or implied that faithfulness to the Lord is all
he requires. He doesn’t require “success” as the world (or even the church)
judges success. Yet, this passage reminds us
that mere faithfulness is not enough unless
that faithfulness includes the faithful
fanning of the flame of love for God.
I’m not simply talking about
emotional, warm and cozy feelings about Christ, but an ardent, vibrant love for
Him that craves His Holy presence,
His smile of approval, and His tender voice of guidance. I am talking about the joy of
being in His presence; those times when we lose track of time and can’t stop
praising Him for who He is and all He has done.
Conclusion:
(F.G. Smith) “What [was] the
fate of this church? There is no evidence that they gave heed to the
exhortation to repent, and the candlestick has long since been taken away. Not
a vestige of a church remains to mark the site of this once important
congregation.”
Dear friends, I want to
challenge each of us today to examine our hearts and lives to see if we still
contain the deep love for the Lord that we once had.
If not, then please remember,
repent and be revived.
No comments:
Post a Comment