MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
Revelation 2:1- 3:22
Part 1
Ephesus – “Forsaken First Love”
Revelation 2:1-7
Good News Christian Fellowship
July 16, 2006
BUCAS, Daraga albay
Introduction
I believe there is no book in the New Testament which has been as neglected and as controversial as this book. Some even give it a very little attention. And they assert that this book is difficult to understand. It is to be observed that this book is not a sealed book; not a hidden things. God does not intend for the truth of this book to be sealed to man. He intended the church to study and understand the message of this book.
Now let’s take this briefly.
1. Title and author of the Book
“Revelation” is the title of the book. The word is from the Greek word apokalupsis meaning “a disclosure, an unveiling.” The name “revelation” (note that it is singular) is derived from its use in 1:1, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”
According to the book itself, the author’s name was John (1:4,9; 22:8). Traditionally, this John has been identified as John the Apostle, one of the disciples of our Lord.
One of the early disciples of John was a man name Polycarp. When Polycarp began his own ministry, he had a disciple named Irenaeus (died A.D. 190). Iraneaus said that Polycarp taught that John the apostle was the author.
Concerning the date of writing, it is uncertain. Some hold to an early date during Nero’s reign (around A.D. 68); others to a later date during Domitian’s reign (around A.D. 95-96)
2. Theme
a. the book certainly concerns the conflict with evil in the form of human personalities energized by Satan and his world-wide system.
b. the triumph of Christ over the anti- Christian forces of the world – beginning with the Tribulation, climaxing with the Second Coming, and reaching completion with the full realization of God’s kingdom.
3. Purpose
a. words of encouragement; of comfort, and of warning to the seven churches.
b. words of encouragement; of comfort, and of warning to the next generations.
c. to focus attention upon the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
d. to show God’s redemption for all those who believe
4. Overview of the churches
“To the seven churches in Asia” (1:4b). The whole book is addressed to seven historical churches in the province of Asia Minor. Chapters 2-3 contain specific letter to these seven churches with special warning, exhortations, commendations, and instructions.
Those churches existed at the time John wrote, about 96 A.D.
a. church in Ephesus
b. church in Smyrna
c. church in Pergamum
d. church in Thyatira
e. church in Sardis
f. church of Philadelphia
g. church in Laodicea
The seven churches are historical, but they have tremendous importance for the church of Christ today because they reveal the qualities that make up the church. They represent all types of churches and Christians.
Now let’s take a look the Messages to these seven churches. First, let’s start with the church at Ephesus.
I. The Commendations – 2: 2-3
A. They worked hard for the Lord. The Ephesians were commended for their sweat in their service for Christ. They labor to the point of weariness, sweet and exhaustion.
“Toil” is referred to a labor to the point of weariness. It stresses the depth and degree of their labor for the Lord. Christ commended the church at Ephesus because they were serving Him totally and faithfully.
They were working, planning, sharing Christ, and helping people who had physical needs as well as spiritual needs. It was not a church that offered weekly solace for the boredom of life. They were under a yoke and were plowing--and loved every minute of it! Service to Christ is the greatest thrill in the world!
B. They persevered (v.2c). They steadfastly served the Lord and in standing against the temptation and trials of life. It refers to the capacity or ability to endure, to remain under pressure or pain over the long haul. It is easy to give up, to quit serving Christ and say, “I’m overworked.” I doubt very seriously that your service to Christ means very much if it doesn’t involve toil.
C. They suppressed Evil (v.2d). This refers to sin and evil, men who were corrupt and polluted and who lived for the world instead of living for God. The church could not tolerate the sin and shame, dirt and pollution, filth and destruction of evil. The Ephesians were doing that, so Jesus says, "I know ... how thou canst not bear them who are evil ..." (Rev. 2:2).
The Ephesian were following Paul’s instruction. In Ephesians 4:27, Paul said, "Neither give place to the devil." When Paul left Ephesus and met for the last time with the elders, he said, "God is with you, but don’t forget that wolves will try to enter your fellowship seeking to ruin you. Satan will try to destroy your testimony" (Ac. 20:28-29). Everything God does, Satan wants to destroy.
Point: The Ephesian church had refused to allow apostasy and immorality to go on in the church.
D. They reject false teachers (v.2e). The church tested and rejected the false teachers. They reject who preach a different Gospel. They remembered the word of the apostles regarding the false teachers (1 John 4:1-3; cp. 1John 2:22-23; Mt. 7:15:20)
This is a meaningful picture of a church: a church that has the hard work for Christ; a church that persevered; a church that suppressed evil; and a church that reject false teachers.
However, there is something lacking , one devastating and destructive things that looms ever so large in the life of a church. What is that?
II. The Complaint (2:4). Their first loved had grown cold. The church has “left” their first loved. The Ephesian was one of the best church in history. But they “left” their first love.
..suggest three particular problems: (a) they had moved away from their original position of devotion and fervor for the Savior by a gradual departure (Heb. 3:7f); (b) they came to put service for the Lord ahead of love, devotion, and fellowship with Him (remember 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and compare Proverbs 4:23); (c) their labor gradually came to be merely mechanical, the thing they were responsible to do, but the Savior wants it to be the result of the abiding life, the result of an intimate walk with Him through the Spirit of God (John 15:1-7; Gal. 5:1-5, 16-26; Eph. 5:18). - J. Hampton Keathley, III , Th.M.
This church They had left the heat of their first love and their service had become mechanical. That is tragic!
“ Like Martha, we can be so busy working for Christ that we have no time to love Him (Luke 10:38–42). Christ is more concerned about what we do with Him than for Him. Labor is no substitute for love. To the public, the Ephesian church was successful; to Christ, it had fallen.” (Warren W. Wiersbe, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament, Victor Books, electronic publishing)
They were putting themselves and their own affairs first. They were not attached to Christ as they were been.
Christ wanted in His church more than anything else - LOVE. He demanded it. John 21:15-17 says, "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My sheep. He saith unto him the third time ...." When love toward Him grew cold, it broke His heart. That is why He said, "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love" (Rev. 2:4).
With that, we come to the Lord’s loving counsel or admonition.
III. The Counsel (2:5a,b) The Lord counsel the church to return to Him. When the church go astray, the Lord issues the very same call :
A. Remember from where you have fallen – Think back over your former love for the Lord. The Lord is telling them to remember the warmth of their love they had at the beginning.
• The feelings of tenderness
• The fervor, spark
• The fellowship and communion with him
• The prayer and sharing with brothers and sisters.
B. Repent: turn away from whatever has pulled you away from Christ and turn back to Christ.
Repentance includes confession of sin with a view to stopping the bad behavior so it can be replaced with what was right.
C. Repeat. Do the first thing that you did: They were to study God’s Word, get together with Christians and pray, share Christ, and warm up the fellowship.
” It clearly looks back to the beginning of a Christian’s life, but could it not include those deeds which should be first in a believer’s life and are the most important because of what they mean to us, to God, and our fellowship with Him?
IV. The Warning (2:5c) If they would not repent Christ will remove the lampstand from its place. What does it mean? . Our Lord was and is saying, either do the above three or else you will lose your light-bearing capacity. God will remove from us our testimony. Left love means lost light.
• From being in touch and in union with God
• From being true light and witness to the world
• From His presence, from the light of His presence
At that point, the light went out. The descent began the moment their love cooled. So Christ asks them to repent.
Doctrinal purity is not enough. Why? Because many are doctrinally sound, but they have left their first love for Christ.
V. The Counsel (2:7)
A. The appeal - A final exhortation (2:7a). “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
” This is a loving call to hear what the Holy Spirit is teaching in these seven messages. Note the change from an appeal to the individual, “he who has an ear,” to the plural, “what the Spirit says to the churches.” (J. Hampton Keathley, III , Th.M.)
B. The Reward to the Overcomer – There is the promise to the overcomers. The overcomer is a person who overcomes and conquers and gain victory.
What does Jesus mean by "overcome"? Who are the overcomers?
John 5:5 says, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
Overcomer are encourage to be faithful by overcoming the trials and temptations of life through faith in their new life in Christ.
What are the rewards of the overcomer?
“To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7b). This is the tree of live, the tress that gives life, both the fullness of life and eternal life.
The tree of life is given to the faithful and victorious follower of Christ.
The promise for the one who overcomes--who believes in Jesus Christ--is that someday he will enter into God’s eternal place called heaven to dwell with Him forever. What a promise!
Thr promises to the overcomer throughout this passage are meaninful. They are a dynamic challenge, a challenge whatever it is that keeps us from living for Christ.
If you’re a Christian, be certain that you are willing to open your heart and return to your first love. If you’re not a Christian, open your heart for the first time to Christ and become an overcomer. Then you will experience all that God has for you.
Reflection
1. According to Revelation 2:2, Christ commends the Ephesians for the quality of their service. What was significant about it?
2. Does your “toil” stresses the depth and degree of their labor for the Lord.? Compare Colossians 1:29-2:1.
3. Examine the quality of your service of Christ. Does it involve the kind of labor that was manifested by the servants of Christ in the New Testament?
4. What is your motivation for serving Christ: to exalt Jesus Christ or to exalt yourself? Be honest.
5. What is the condition of your love for Christ? What is the condition of your love for other Christians? Do you treat some more favorably than others? Work on improving your love relationship with Jesus Christ.
6. Is there anything that you need to repent of?
7. Start improving your relationship to Christ today!
Let us pray.
