March 26, 2017
Morning Worship
Text: Revelation 1:1; Chapters 2-3
Subject: Lessons From Revelation Part 3
Title: Warnings to the Church – Get it Right
This is our third sermon in the series Lessons from Revelation. If for some reason you have always deemed the Book of Revelation as one that is too difficult to understand you may need to rethink that.
First of all it is given to the church to tell us of things that must soon happen.
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John…
Secondly, there are blessings to be received from reading and hearing this prophecy. Revelation 1:3 (NKJV)
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
By the time that John had written this Book the church had already been established for 60 plus years. Christianity had been established throughout the Roman Empire no longer as a sect of Judaism but as an independent viable religious movement. It was taking the Empire by storm.
The Roman army had destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. Jews and Christians alike had been scattered around the world to avoid persecution beginning with Nero that would last into the fourth century.
The seven letters written to the churches of Asia by the hand of John but through the anointing of the Holy Spirit and direct words of Christ show us that the churches were not perfect. As a matter of fact there were many areas where the churches had missed the will of God and now He is calling them back with words of warnings.
Revelation 2:1-4 (NKJV)
1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
2 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.
4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
I believe this is God’s word…
I believe it is for me…
I accept it as mine…
I will appropriate it to my life today…
These letters written from Jesus through John to the churches contain important information for all of us. Now let me preface what I want to get to by saying this. These letters are to the churches that are representative of all the churches of the world from the beginning of the church till Jesus comes back. So this first letter is not only to the church in Ephesus, but also to all churches of all time that identify with this church.
Do you see how the Lord begins each letter?
I. The Lord is identified as the One who speaks… 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2:8, "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 2:12, "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, 'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: Can you see how each letter is connected to verses 13-18 in chapter 1? There is no doubt that it is Jesus who is talking and that He is challenging them about the activity of the church.
If Jesus is the One speaking, and we say that these letters are written for us today as well, then does that not mean that the Lord still must be speaking to us today? Hebrews 1:1-2 (NKJV) 1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…
1) He speaks to us by His Word…. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV2011)
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. You can look at Psalm 119 and see how the word speak to us. Psalm 119:24 (NIV2011) Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. Joshua 1:8, 8Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
2) He Speaks to us by His Spirit… Romans 8:16 (NKJV), The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…
3) He speaks to us through the gifts of the Spirit…Acts 13:1-2 (NKJV), Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
II. The Lord speaks words to edify the church…
2 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. To each church the Lord speaks and has something good to say about their works, their faithfulness, and their perseverance… And I think that was the problem in the churches. Each church did some things well. Each church had a reputation that they were upholding and each church probably focused on the things they were doing well… and that’s a good thing right? When we first started in the ministry a wise man told me, focus on the things that you do well… don’t just have programs for the sake of having programs. But concentrate on the things that you are good at. And that is good advice. Revelation 2:9 (NKJV) 9 I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich);. Revelation 2:13 (NKJV) I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith… Revelation 2:19 (NKJV) I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. I want you to understand something here. Even though the Lord is speaking to the church as a whole, He is also speaking to us as individuals. You have held on to your faith. You haven’t thought too highly of yourself. You have done good works. Good for you! Keep it up. Don’t give up in the fight till Jesus comes.
III. The Lord Speaks words of correction… 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. WOW! This very first church written to, Ephesus, all the good things they did – labor, patience, rightfully judging those who weren’t really Christians – and they appear to have done all the right things for all the wrong reasons. Working out of obligation, or out of a sense of outward appearance. I have no doubt that they were reaching the lost and providing for the needs of others. Doing all the works of the ministry. I want you to notice something. The Lord was not speaking words of condemnation. They are words of correction out of love. I read a book several years ago called “Ministering to the Lord” and one sentence I the whole book has stayed with me all these years. “Before you do the work of the Lord, you must remember the Lord of the work”! You know sometimes we get so busy, caught up in ministry that we forget to do just that. And not only ministry – sometimes we become consumed by doing “Christian” things… reading your bible, praying, going to church… things we do because that is what we are supposed to be doing. So we have to stop and ask ourselves, “Have we lost our first love?” Revelation 3:14-17 (NKJV)
14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
Sometimes I wonder, do we get so proud in what we do we forget why we are doing it?
In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.
Now I want you to see the difference between correction and condemnation. In correction the Lord says, “You can do this. Pay attention.” “I have given you everything you need.” Right? But the devil is the one who condemns. He will tell you that you are never good enough and never will be. God doesn’t like the way you are doing things so you might as well quit. Romans 8:33-37 (NKJV)
33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:1 (NKJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
IV. The Lord speaks words of encouragement… Revelation 2:7 (NKJV)
7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." '
Revelation 2:11 (NKJV)
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." '
Revelation 2:17 (NKJV)
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it." '
Revelation 2:26 (NKJV)
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations--
Revelation 3:5 (NKJV)
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Revelation 3:12 (NKJV)
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
Finally,
Revelation 3:20-21 (NKJV)
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
The Lord is still speaking to the church today and to you as individuals.
Words of edification…
Words of correction…
Words of encouragement…
I think we miss them because we have forsaken our first love. But the Lord is calling us all back. Like prodigals, He is waiting for you to return to that first love, that fire you had when you were first saved or baptized in the Holy Spirit or healed, or used in the gifts… the fire of God for His work in your life.
When I first began taking my classes for ministry a preacher told me I had too much zeal. That I needed to tone it down a little. But the Lord says you can never have too much. But you can have too little. You can lose your first love. The letters to the churches begin with losing that first love and ends with a church that has become lukewarm. The danger has always been and will always be there.
And so is the invitation.
Will you come back?
