Losing that Loving Feeling? The Church of Ephesus
Introduction: Have you ever lost that loving feeling? If you've been married for some time you may know what its like for marriage to be more work than romance. All relationships go through this from time to time. We get in a routine and go through the motions and before long it brings you down pretty quickly. And something needs to be done to recapture that loving feeling. Well the church has a relationship with Christ, and therefor it is no different. Jesus lets the Church of Ephesus know that they've lost that loving feeling, and they need to get it back.
In the first verse we read “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words for him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp stands:” -Rev. 2:1
Angel here means 'messenger' and refers to the minister of the church. Jesus says He holds the seven stars or ministers in his right hand and he walks among the seven golden lamp stands or the seven churches. Christ dwells among those who gather in his name. When there is one person who believes in Jesus you have a Christian. But when there is two that gather in his name you have a church.
Let's begin with an acknowledgment that God is in Control. He owns the church and its ministers. If any minister isn't owned by Christ he doesn't belong in his church. If there is a move of God in the church then lets give credit to Him and not to ourselves. Pastors shouldn't receive glory for what the Holy Ghost does.
Transition: Jesus gives 4 important things to the Ephesian church: A courtesy of Reassurance, A call for Remembrance, and A command to Repentance.
I. A Courtesy of Reassurance (v. 2 & 3)
“I know your deeds, your hard work and perseverance. I know that you can not tolerate wicked men that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found false.”
The Lord Jesus is kind and courteous. He knows where we are at and what we need. The word says that he disciplines those he loves. Even when we feel the sting of his discipline, we should be comforted that it isn't the fire of his wrath. When we please him he commends us. When someone does well He reassures them. He commended the Ephesian church for their integrity and perseverance. The Ephesian church was a hard working church. They did what they were suppose to do. They did as the Lord commanded. They followed his rules, they kept his laws, they obeyed his commands. The church of Ephesus stood strong against sin and wickedness. Today they might be considered “intolerant” “homophobes” “bigots”. Do you dare call Christ the Lord a bigot? He commended the Ephesian church for drawing a hard line and not wavering from it, and their church didn't have to deal with the wickedness, and confusion or division as a result of their integrity.
When you draw a hard line, the Devil is blocked from entering, but when you draw soft lines, he enters in like a flood. Those who draw soft lines are susceptible to delusion. The Lord reassured the Church that they were doing the right thing by not tolerating wicked men. And they were doing the right thing by not tolerating a few people within their church who claimed to be apostles but were false.
In the past, I've studied and prayed for hours and felt the anointing of God in the pulpit and lo and behold in the middle of the the message someone would stand up and try to disrupt the service in tongues, or they would try to say that “God told me this, or God told me that, or God told me to tell you this or God told me to tell the church that.” I don't know what they heard, but it wasn't from God. How many churches are divided because of jealousy? How many churches split every Sunday because of an Absalom spirit that stole the hearts of the people of Israel? Some wolf in sheep's clothing rises up and insinuates authority, that hasn't been given to them by God. And they deliberately try to sabotage a pastor's influence and undermine the church elders authority. That is what the Ephesian church dealt with and they were commended because they tested those who claimed to be apostles BUT WERE NOT! In his book 'Leadership from behind the scenes' Bishop Ron Webb said “God will never put you over what's under you, until you can first come under what's over you.” To put it another way: To be a good leader you must first be a good follower. The Church of Ephesus had some that claimed to be something they weren’t.
I John 4:1 says “Dear friends do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” You test the spirits by the word of God.
2 Timothy 4:3 says “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” We are at that point: That time isn't coming, it is here! People have fallen away from the “ole' fashion gospel” they want a 'new' gospel, they want new teachings, they want new doctrines. Well, I can tell you that new gospels are false gospels, new doctrines are false doctrines.
I Timothy 4:1 says that in the last days that people will be deceived and follow doctrines of demons. They will literally follow things taught by devils. Why? Because they follow feelings rather than following God. They use their feelings instead of their Bibles to discern right from wrong. They use their feelings to mold the Bible instead of letting the Bible mold their feelings. And in the last days those doctrines of demons will lead many people to hell. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 says “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition;” The words 'falling away' is translated as “rebellion” in other versions. But we will see an apostasy in the church, in the last days. So called 'Christians' will rebel against God. And you must take great pains to make sure that you are on the right side of God on the last day, because you don't wont to be separated to his left side.
Transition: As much as Christ reassures the Ephesian church of their good deeds and integrity he says in the next verse: “Yet I hold this against you: . . .”. And then Jesus gives them a call for remembrance.
II. A Call for Remembrance (v.4 & 5a)
Jesus continues saying “. . . You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen. . .” (v.4, 5a) The Lord is so grieved when he sees his people growing cold. It isn't enough just to work and obey commandments. Jesus wants more than our hands, He wants our hearts also. Remember Martha was using her hands in the kitchen and yet it was Mary who was commended for being at his feet in adoration. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service to Jesus. Oswald chambers said “when you deify work, you apostatize Jesus.”
Jesus calls on the Ephesian church to understand that regardless of their works, they have left their first love. They didn't just lose their first love, they forsook their first love. The word forsaken means abandon or deserted. They had abandoned and deserted the one they loved. You can attend every church service and still abandon Christ.
The Ephesians were working, serving, correctly testing the spirits and rightfully obeying the laws, but without love those things are just good deeds. Without love there is no relationship, and without a relationship those good deeds are no better than if an unbeliever had done them. Paul said “I can speak like angels, but without love I'm only a clanging cymbal. . I can have mountain moving faith but without love, I am nothing. I can give away all I own but without love, I gain nothing'. Without love relationship fades to religion. Without love going to Church becomes a chore rather than a desire. It is nothing more than a religious duty to pacify our guilt. Jesus doesn't want that!
How would you feel if your spouse came home one day and said “I don't love you anymore, but don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, I will still help raise our children, and do the chores, we will still live together, share the same car, sit on the same couch, and sleep in the same bed. I just don't love you anymore. Would that work for you? Of course not and it won't work for Christ either and that is why he calls them to Remember (in verse 5), how far they have strayed away from their first love.
Ill. Pastor Keith Krell shared an illustration of a couple who were driving home from church. The wife was sitting in the front seat on the far right side. Her husband was in his usual place behind the steering wheel. Seemingly, a large gulf separated them. With lonely eyes, she looked at him and said, “Honey, do you remember when we first met, how close we used to sit to each other? You used to put your arm around me. What happened to those days?” With one hand firmly attached to the steering wheel, and the other resting on the empty seat between them, he said, “Well, I haven't moved.” The distance was not because he had moved. A separation resulted because she had moved away from him. She had left her first love. (Pastor Keith Krell Fourth Memorial church)
Remember the height from which you have fallen. Jesus wants them to look at the present moment and compare it to the beginning and reflect on how far the distance is between the two. When we first come to Christ our affections are lively and warm. But if we are not careful to preserve that love, that fire for God, then our heart will eventually cool and over time will grow cold and if left unattended will eventually harden like ice. Then nothing is left but a cold . . . dead . . heart.
I saw an ice statue of a Christmas tree at a company Christmas party, years ago. It was very interesting. It was an ice cold resemblance of a real Christmas tree. But what good was it? It was pretty to look at, no doubt, but it wasn't alive. We can have the appearance of a Christian but if love is grown cold, then all it is is an appearance, there is no life. I John 3:14 says that “ . . anyone who does not love remains in death.” Like the movie Narnia, the closer we get to the Lion of Judah the more he melts our hearts, thaws away death and brings us back to life! You want life? Get close to Jesus! You want hope? Get close to Jesus! You want peace? Get close to Jesus! You want joy? Get close to Jesus! You want love? Get close to Jesus!
Transition: God is love. And since they had forsaken that first love, Jesus gives the Ephesian church a command to repentance
III. A Command to Repentance (v. 5b)
He continues in verse 5 “. . . repent and do the things you did at first.
John Kilptrick said “the same sun that melts wax, hardens clay.” We can get so used to resisting the Holy Spirit, time and time again that instead of yielding to Him, we harden our hearts to him. The Word calls those people 'stiff necked', because they will not bend their neck to bow their head to him. A person can harden their heart to the point they are lead into delusion and later apostasy. Like a wild mustang, these hard-hearted people refuse to be broken, not by man, but by the Holy Spirit. They don't realize that God only wants to lie them down in green pastures, and lead them beside still waters.
Jesus commands them to Repent. Turn away from those idols, turn away from those sins, turn away from those distractions, turn away from it all and be the prodigal son that turned back home, turn back to Jesus. When we sin, when we walk away, when we abandon Jesus, it isn't the fault of circumstances. It isn't 'his' fault or 'her' fault or 'their' fault. It's OUR fault. Own it and humbly confess it in the sight of God, and judge and condemn yourself for it. I would rather judge and condemn myself this side of life, than to have God do so in the next.
Jesus commands them to Remember what kindled that fire for Christ in the first place and do that. He said to do the first works, or the things you did at first. When you first get married you sent your newlywed wife love letters, roses, gifts, and over time those things fade away. Go back and rekindle that fire for Christ. Go back and do the things you used to do when you were in love with him. Remember your fire for him. Reunite with him: By prayer. By Bible study. By worship songs. By watching solid doctrinal preaching on television. Listen to solid doctrinal preaching on the radio. Read good Christian literature (God winks). And other interesting and inspiring Christian books. Make another visit to the Christian book store. Don't allow negative people to rub off on you, don't let them pull you down. Find those who are on fire for God and let them inspire you to do the same.
If they did not heed the command for repentance would be a consequence for rebellion. Jesus said “if you don't repent I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from it's place.” In the earlier versions it says “..I will come quickly..” Why have a lamp stand if there is no fire. A church without love, is like a well without water. What use is it? None. And he will take it away. Make sure you repent and re- acquire the fire! He commends them again for hating the practices of the Nicolaitans, A group that held to false beliefs, although no one knows for certain what they were. But ends the letter with a promise that all those who repent and overcome will receive the paradise of God.
Conclusion: One of the first, if not The first Olympic games, was a marathon, but it wasn't just any marathon. It never had first, second, third place. No. Runners began the race having to carry a lit torch across all kinds of terrain and in all kinds of weather, to the very end. And all the athletes who were able to cross the finish line with their torch still lit won a laurel crown. A crown wasn't given to the one who finished first, a crown was given to all those who finished with their race with their torch still lit. Is your fire still burning for Christ?
During an interview in 1989 with Leonard Ravenhill He said “I am 83 now and I have a bigger fire burning in my belly, . . in my heart than ever in my life.” I want to say that! I want to say when I'm 53 that I have a bigger fire in my belly than when I was 43. And when I'm 63 that I have a bigger fire in my belly than when I was 53. Don't let the fire die! Finish your race with your fire still burning.
