Introduction
• Illus. – A Navy cruiser was trying to secure to buoys near her flagship in a congested harbor. The admiral watched the cruiser make a good approach and signaled “GOOD”. Then things went wrong. The cruiser missed the buoys and got more and more tangled up. The admiral signaled – “add to my previous signal ‘GOD’”
• Is God an afterthought with you? Is He the last resort? When all else fails bring God into the picture.
• It is not only the heathen who do that but how about you my brother/sister?
• Can any of us say that God figures into everything we think and do? Are all your actions accomplished to bring the Lord glory?
• Does God take a backseat to other people and things in your life? I leave Him out too often, how about you?
• As long as things are going good – nice approach – on track – God doesn’t much come to mind. But just wait until I sail on by the buoy – I get tangled up in them – God, God where are you?
• I’m so glad God doesn’t treat me – us – like that.
• We’re no afterthought to Him. His every action has us in mind. He loves us even when we don’t love Him or our love has dimmed, been tarnished or become stagnant.
• Revelation 2:4
• As we’ve been studying the “nevertheless” statements of Jesus we’ve seen in the last two weeks that Jesus left the earth and will be coming back as judge. But what about today? Has He gone off and left us – unconcerned about us – only to come back one day to wipe us out in judgment? That’s where the truths of this letter [Revelation] are so important.
• Jesus is gone and will come back nevertheless He is here – He cares – He knows.
• Illus. – On day at the Knickerbocker club in New York a group of Mark Twain’s friends recalled it was his birthday, and decided to write a collective letter. they composed 7-8 pages of nonsense and since they did not know where mark was, addressed it: – “Mark Twain Lord Knows Where” – Several months elapsed when a postal addressed to them was received, bearing this message: “He Did, Mark Twain”
1. Jesus knows us
a. Who would you like to work on your computer – me or the one in charge of computers at Catawba College – Chad Lewis?
b. Who would you like to consult about adding an addition on to your house – me or a local contractor like Tony Donahue?
c. When it comes to an electrical problem would you ask me or an electrician like Steve Brown?
d. Who do you think knows more about you than anyone else? Could it possibly be the One who made and formed you in the womb of your mother to be a one-of-a-kind individual?
e. God knows the number of hairs on your head – for some of us that number is in flux all the time.
f. Illus. - Some years ago a German scientist counted the hairs on different heads. He found more hairs on heads with black hair than with red, on brown than black, and on blond than brown. Black-haired women have 110,000 hairs and blondes 140,000 hairs. The average woman loses up to 100 hairs a day.
g. He knows what you can and cannot do. He knows what makes you tick and what you really need.
h. Did it ever occur to you that nothing ever occurs to God?
i. Illus. – During a lull between the charges at the second Battle of Cold Harbor in June, 1864 officers saw the men sewing names on the sleeves of their coats. Why? Because they expected to die in the ensuing charge and they wanted someone to know who they were.
j. When all the world passes you by, when others don’t notice you, when there doesn’t seem to be anyone who knows the real you – Jesus knows!
k. Illus. – A burglar got into a home one night. Shining his flashlight on the floor in the dark, he heard a voice saying, “Jesus is watching you”. He looked around nervously, shook his head, and kept looking for valuables. He heard it again, “Jesus is watching you”. This time, he shone his light all over, and it rested on a parrot. he asked, “Did you say that?” The parrot admitted that he had, “I’m just trying to warn you, is all.” The burglar said, “Warn me, huh? Who are you? What’s your name?” “Moses” “Well, what kind of stupid people would name a parrot ‘Moses’?” The bird answered, “I don’t know; I guess the same folks who would name a Rottweiler ‘Jesus’”
l. Jesus is watching – He knows all about you.
2. Jesus knows our works (v.3)
a. How shocking this can be. Jesus really knows my actions.
b. Jesus knew all about this church at Ephesus. Those folks were no couch potatoes. They took their faith seriously and they put that faith to work.
c. When it came time to give the announcements on a Sunday morning it probably took 15 minutes to get through the list of activities.
d. In a city filled with immorality and decadence, they persevered for Christ’s sake.
e. They were diligent workers for Christ. Theirs wasn’t a spectator religion.
f. What would God’s letter to you say? DearSteve/Henry/Sallie/Belinda, I know what’s been going on in your life. I’m fully aware of your actions…
g. Would that be an embarrassing moment in your life or a joyous one?
h. Illus. – One day a boy asked his mom a series of questions. “Can God see into my room?” “Can God see me in the closet?” “Can God see me in the middle of the night?” When his mother answered “yes” to each question, he was silent for a little while. Then he said, “I don’t believe I care much for that.”
i. Yet God is out of sight and therefore He is often out of our minds. Since we can’t see Him we forget that he can see us. He knows.
j. There is not one word or little action that slips His notice.
k. It amazes me how my presence often changes things. At times I’ll enter a room and the talking stops, the cigarettes are put out, and people start making excuses for not being at church.
l. Friends that happens because as “preacher/pastor” I remind them of God and His presence. Hey, let’s stop playing games. God was in that room long before I entered.
m. The way we act inside the walls of the church building should be the way we act at home, at work, at school, in the beauty parlor, and on the ball field.
n. Isn’t it about time we started acting like God since Jesus is in our presence?
o. Illus. – Legend says a man from Jamestown died and went to heaven. He was told that every Friday newcomers were allowed to share on any subject they wanted to. The man said, “Well, I think I’ll talk on the Jamestown flood. That was some flood. What do you think about my choice?” “Well” the guide said, “that’s good; but I’d better warn you, Noah will be in the audience”.
p. You and I need to remember that God is in the audience and that He knows our works.
3. Jesus knows our motives and thoughts (v.3)
a. In verse 3 the word “works” stands for our actions and the word “labor” stands for the energy, the motivation, and determination of our actions.
b. Jesus knew that the motivation behind the many works of this church in Ephesus was not due to a growing love for Christ.
c. In verse 4 He says they had left their first love. Christ was not the driving force in all they were doing.
d. Jesus not only sees and knows our outward actions but also our inner motivations.
e. Illus. - A sculptor cutting a figure to stand in niche in the wall so that its back would never be seen, yet he was working with the same painstaking care on the back as on the front. Someone asked, “Why are you working on the back of that figure? No one will see it.” “Ah,” replied the sculptor, “God will always be looking on it”
f. God not only sees our real life but also what is back of life – our heart.
g. Many a scheming person has proved you can fool all the people some of the time.
h. Do you wear masks? Do you really want people to know the real you? Are your actions indicative of your true self?
i. We can fool people. We know we can…and we try to do it, don’t we?
j. I’m glad you are here this morning, yet I’m not privy to the real reason why you came to God’s house. I’m going to assume you came because you love the Lord and want to worship Him. You may be able to fool me but God knows the real reasons you came.
k. Jesus knows that the smile I give on the outside is matched by a dislike on the inside.
l. Illus. – Many are like the soldier who leaned up against a building and dozed off while on guard duty. Sleeping on guard duty is a very serious crime. He was soon aware of the presence of another person, and was justifiably afraid it was the Officer of the day. Keeping his cool, he lifted his head, opened his eyes, and said “Amen”.
m. God is not fooled. He sees through all the veneer we stick on the outside and reads our hearts.
n. He knows our actions and our motives. He will soon be coming back as Judge.
4. Jesus knows our situations (v.3)
a. “I know your patience” – Ephesus was a tough place to grow a church. God knew the trials and persecution that the Ephesian church had gone through, was still facing, and would have to face in future days.
b. Jesus knows your situation too. He knows how tough it is. Remember, He too, experienced life’s tough journey.
c. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that he was tempted in all the same ways we are. It was just as difficult for Him as it for us.
d. Do you think that Jesus, the God-man, can possibly be of help to you where you are? As man He lived a victorious life, as God He has the power to enable you to live that kind of life too.
e. God not only knows what you are going through but He is sovereign and has a lot to do with what you are going through. He knows what you need to experience so that you can be all He created you to be.
f. Illus. – A Greek orphan was supported financially by an American family and eventually they brought to the States to live with them. One day she gave the following testimony during a church worship service. “God permitted me to become an orphan. Evil men killed my father. My mother died of cancer. But God knew what He was doing. As a result of being left an orphan, I entered a Christian orphanage where I found Christ. If I had not become an orphan, I might never have come to know Jesus Christ.”
g. Christ knows where you are. In fact He has led you to this worship service for the purpose of leading you closer to Him.
h. He knows where you are and He knows where He wants to take you. Will you let Him?
Conclusion
• There in Ephesus the church calendar was brimming with activity. The church was strong in doctrine and ministry. God had much to commend in the church.
• Yet behind all the activity was a waning love for the Lord. They were doing all the right things but not for the right reason.
• How is it in your life?
• Jesus knows and because He knows, you and I will have to give an account of our life before Him when He comes back as judge. We can wait and take our chances then or we can:
o Remember – We need to own up to our wrongs, sins and failings
o Repent – We need to confess our sins and seek forgiveness.
o Return – We need to turn around to God – walk toward Him instead of away from Him
o Or God will Remove – Remove what? – Genesis 6:3 “My Spirit will not always strive with man”
Invitation
