The Blessings of Revelation part 4
SERMON 4 -TOPIC III - THE BLESSING OF STAYING AWAKE FOR CHRIST! -- REV: 16:15
"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."
INTRODUCTION
This scripture of how to be blessed is the core teaching of the book of Revelation. The point behind Revelation and the New Testament is that we as Christians must stay awake and be ready to go with Christ at any moment. We as Christians do not have to know when were going! We by the way will never know even with all the detailed elaborate calculations and predictions out there. I want to be very frank with you today. Nobody knows when Christ is returning nor when the Rapture of the church will take place it could happen today, tomorrow, next week, next year, the next decade, or even the next millennium. The point to grab a hold of is this, "...stay awake and be ready at any moment!" This is the major message from the Scriptures when it comes to end time theology.
Over the last couple of weeks we have explored two churches that had committed themselves to staying awake and being ready (Smyrna, and Philadelphia). Know we will explore five churches that have fallen asleep in Christ. Each church is at a different level.
One church is taking catnaps while claiming that they live for Christ (Ephesus).
One church is taking afternoon siestas while claiming that they live for Christ (Pergamum).
One church is sleeping all night while claiming that they live for Christ (Thyatira).
One church is walking in their sleep while claiming that they are walking in Christ (Sardis).
One church is sleeping all the time while claiming that their awake in Christ (Laodicea).
Yet each church is criticized by Jesus Christ and told to wake up! The alarm clock of Heaven is sounding to each one of these churches.
T.S. - Lets look at the church in Ephesus in Rev. 2:1-7 and discover how this church has fallen asleep.
Revelation 2:1-7
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
I. Ephesus – this church liked to take catnaps in the midst of their busy schedule of ministry away from the Lord.
a. Once again in the address to this church we have more of Christ being revealed to the church and to us individually.
i. Jesus Christ is:
1. The one who holds the seven stars in his hands. This represents that he holds the universe in his hand. He controls it and he will fulfill everything that he promises.
2. He is the one that walks among the seven golden lamp-stands. These lamp-stands are the church and the message to the church is “He sees everything that is going on in the churches.” He is all seeing! Nothing gets by him. He is in contact with the body of Christ. He knows if you have been bad or good. He knows what drives you and motivates you in your life.
b. Historical background on the city of Ephesus.
i. Berkely tell us, " Ephesus was located on the Cayster River on a gulf of the Aegean Sea. The silt carried down by the Cayster eventually filled in the bay and brought an end to Ephesus as a port city, but in New Testament times it was large - more than a quarter of a million people lived there. The cult of emperor worship was evident, but the main attraction was the temple of the goddess Artemis"(164).
ii. Artemis or Diana’s temple was the 7th wonder of the world.
iii. Carr notes this about the city, " Ephesus, ‘the Vanity Fair of Asia’, ‘The Supreme Metropolis of Asia.’ Famous 3 ways: 1. Religion: The temple of Diana; 7th wonder of the world. ... 2. Commercially: Port city; military city; industrial city; 3. Politically; A free city, self rule.
1. They were also known for their banking, artists and art gallery’s and sin.
c. Biblical background on the church of Ephesus.
i. It was founded by Paul (Acts 18). He spent three years planting the church and raising up leaders to take over. Apollos also preached there. Acquila and Priscilla ministered in this church. Timothy was one of their pastor’s and helped disciple the church. Even the Apostle John was one of their pastor’s later on. This church had some of God’s all-stars as their leaders and mentors (Carr, page 1).
1. Yet even though some of the most famous Biblical characters pastured this church there was a problem.
2. They had started to slip away from Jesus Christ.
d. The message to Ephesus from Jesus Christ is I am the one who is in complete control of this world and all my churches. He is the one that knows what is going on in His churches.
i. Jesus makes it clear in verse one who is in control of the world.
ii. He also lets us and them know that he has the ability to see and hear what is transpiring in the church.
1. He is not an absentee God! He is here now in this very sanctuary. He knows what I am saying. He knows what I do at night and during the day.
2. He saw their hard work - the idea here is that they feared God and did works of service for Him. He was impressed with their energy to do ministry tasks.
a. They ran a church that offered programs for every age.
b. They were modeling and teaching evangelism.
c. They had solid Biblical schools and teachers.
d. They where defenders of the faith and knew their Word.
3. He saw their perseverance in their labors - He was impressed how they slavishly toiled for Him.
a. They were so dedicated to ministry and works that they strived, pushed to doing good works to the point of exhaustion.
b. It was ministry at all costs.
i. When service out weighs our love relationship with Christ then we are headed for burn out in our heart to heart relationship with Christ.
4. He saw their lack of toleration for wicked men claiming to be Christ followers.
a. They confronted sin and false teachers ceaselessly.
b. They exposed the false teachers and their false teachings.
c. They tested them by using God’s Word as the grading scale.
d. They did their best to present themselves to God as workers who were not ashamed of their deeds and they correctly handled the Word of Truth (II Timothy 2:15).
e. He saw their perseverance (vs. 3) through hardships for Christ’s name. They were patient and determined to win the race.
i. This thought reflects an endurance that never backs down to compromise.
f. They were a church that crossed every T and doted every.
i. Thomas states, " They had persevered, ‘because of my name”, says Christ. ... They persevered for the sake of the purity of the message they preached" (page 139).
5. Right in the midst of their commendation Jesus changes his tone and says "YET"
a. There was a problem that he saw in this church.
i. "You have forsaken your first love." (Verse 4).
ii. The church had reached burnout proportions. It’s a tragedy when service to the Lord becomes a duty and not a result of a love relationship with Christ.
iii. They where becoming Christian Pharisees.
iv. Burnout happens when the service Becomes work and we despise it because our love is gone for Christ.
b. In other words you have become so busy doing stuff you have neglected to have a relationship with me.
c. Jesus saw that they were forming into Christian Pharisee’s.
d. In reality they were so busy debating others and doing ministry that works began to supersede a relationship with Jesus Christ.
e. They were so busy crossing their T’s and dotting their i’s that they were walking away from Christ in their hearts.
f. The church in it’s zeal for Christianity had become a loveless church.
g. They had forgotten about LOVING GOD.
i. And when Christ is forsaken love is forsaken.
ii. A church without love is not a church but a legalistic prison.
h. This church had become out of balance. Note the church was only 40 years old
i. Carr states, " The fatal weakness of the church -- The vitality of their passion was gone - They were a saved and a serving people, but their motives for service were wrong. (ILL. Prestige, position, reputation, duty, fear) Love is the only worthwhile motive!
i. They had lost their first love (II Cor. 11:2) and Christ would not tolerate it. Like Martha they were so busy that time with Christ was shelved to do the busy things.
j. The diseases of busyness had infiltrated the church.
i. The people had taken time far more seriously than eternity. Thomas Kelly
ii. Ortberg states, “Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. Hurry can destroy our souls. Hurry can keep us from living well. As Carl Jung wrote, ’Hurry is not of the devil; hurry is the devil.’ Again and again, as we pursue spiritual life, we must do battle with hurry” (83).
iii. He also adds, “Jesus urged his disciples to take time out. Following Jesus cannot be done at a sprint. If we want to follow someone, we can’t go faster than the one who is leading” (84).
iv. Ortberg gives us one more thought provoking thought, “Hurry is not just a disordered schedule. Hurry is a disordered heart” (84).
6. When love is gone in a church these things appear:
a. Lack of enthusiasm to spend time with Christ.
b. Lack of attendance to worship and honor Christ.
c. Lack of Joy in serving Christ.
d. Lack of being a witnesses for Christ.
e. Lack of praise to Christ.
f. Lack of study of God’s Word to learn more of Christ.
g. Lack of prayer to and with Christ.
h. Lack of giving our finances to Christ.
i. Apathy sets in to your spiritual life.
i. Problem was not outward sin but it was the condition of their hearts.
ii. Wilkerson makes this observation:
1. It quickly becomes evident in this passage that the Ephesians. Are not just a bunch of novices or lukewarm saints. No, Jesus is examining the hearts of a people who are well-grounded in the truth of the gospel - and who work to prove it in their lives, by sacrificing, laboring and standing up for truth (3).
iii. Simply put, the Lord is telling us, ‘It’s not enough for you to be caring, giving, diligent servant who grieves over sin and preaches truth. It’s not enough for you to uphold moral standards, endure suffering for my sake, or even be burned at the stake for your faith. This is all part of taking up my cross. You can do all these things in my name. But if in the process of doing them your affection for me does not increase - if I am not becoming more and more the one great delight of your heart - then you have left your first love! If your affection for me is no longer a matter of great concern to you, then I have something against you!" (3).
iii. Jesus now exhorts them to change back to where they had come from.
1. ‘Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from it’s place" (verse 5).
2. They need to do three simple things to be forgiven: Remember where they have been
a. The day of salvation and excitement.
b. Repent- Get right with God - I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will purify us from all unrighteousness.”
c. Return to the beginning
i. Fall back in love with Jesus Christ - re-experience his love and tenderness. Become love driven and love motivated again. Be revived!
3. Warning -- DANGER! DANGER! If you do not I will remove your lamp stand - this is a promise!
e. Jesus now commends them again for their hatred of the practices of the Nicolatians (verse 6).
i. A cult that taught that you could eat meat sacrificed to idols and participate in sexual immorality openly. They believed that your physical sin did not affect your spiritual condition.
ii. They were also gnostics who believed that their "Gnosis" could supersede Biblical teaching.
iii. After being rebuked it’s nice to hear another word of praise from Jesus Christ.
f. The call to respond and receive another blessing from Jesus Christ (verse 7).
i. The promise is the right to eat from the Tree of Life.
Conclusion:
What is the message to this church and also to us? We need to stay awake and guard ourselves from anything (including ministry) that allows us to forsake our love for Christ personally. It screams at us that we need to keep our focus on Jesus Christ and His love, so that we will not leave love behind.
Hear this message New Life - Is your love for Jesus exclusive? Do you regularly take quality time to be with him? Or have other things crept into your heart, taking up your thoughts and affection?.
Jesus is asking you right now to repent and start over again if you answer is yes to any of the preceding questions. He wants you to stop and realize, ‘Wait a minute - I see how this lack of love has crept into your life. It’s robbing me of time with you says Jesus!’ Today is the day to go back to you first love. Ask him to renew you passion for him and to keep him in the number one spot of your heart.
