Sermons on Sail By Ephesus:

Re-Finding Your First Love Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 12, 2017

Ephesus had been a great church, but now it had lost it's first love for Jesus. If it happened to them, how can we make sure it doesn't happen to us?

OPEN: Someone once asked a bunch of elementary aged children what they thought about love. Glenn, age 7: If falling love is anything like learning how to spell, I don’t want to do it. It takes too long. Regina, age 10 agrees: I’m not rushing into love. I’m finding fourth grade ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Revelations Has To Say To The U.s. Church Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 14, 2020

Do we have anything in common with the first-century church of Ephesus? Unfortunately, yes we do. Too much have we abandoned the love of Christ we had at first.

Monday of 33rd Week in Course 2020 In this penultimate week of the Church year, the Church gives us snippets from the Book of Revelations, the last and in some ways most difficult book of the New Testament. You see today the style of the letters; the ones we have this week are written to churches ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:1-4, Revelation 2:1-5, Psalm 1:1-6, Luke 18:35-43

Denomination: Catholic

Praying For Our Church

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jul 12, 2020

Paul's second prayer for the church in Ephesus is a great model of how we can pray for our church and for other churches today, for God to strengthen his people with power.

PRAYING FOR THE CHURCH INTRODUCTION We’ve now come to the sixth and last in our mini-series on prayer. We first looked at Gideon’s prayer for guidance. Then we spent two weeks on the Lord’s Prayer. Then we had two weeks on Daniel’s prayer of confession on behalf of his people. Today we’re ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

What Does A "grownup" Church Look Like? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 26, 2020

Paul tells the church at Ephesus that one of their goals should be to "growup" and no longer be children. But how would they know when they had accomplished that? What are the marks of a mature congregation?

OPEN: My grandson Benjamin (the apple of my eye) is 2 years old, and I know that one day someone is going to ask him this question: “What are you going to be when you …. (grow up)?” As I was doing research for the sermon this morning I found there was huge number of children’s books with this ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"i Will Not Be Ashamed" Series

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Dec 20, 2020

Imprisoned and facing death, the aged warrior for Christ, the apostle Paul, presents his final instructions and counsel to the young pastor from Ephesus, his "son in the faith", Timothy.

This second letter to Timothy is considered to be the last writing of the apostle Paul, composed around 67 A.D., from the confinement of Rome's infamous Mamertine Prison. He had been placed under arrest for the preaching of the Gospel and no doubt accused of insurrection for preaching that ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:8-12, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, Romans 1:16-17

Denomination: Baptist

Beware Of Bad Doctrine Series

Contributed by Brady Boyd on Oct 20, 2022

Timothy was a young leader trying to lead the church in Ephesus. This letter was written by an aging Paul, near the end of his life. This letter talks a lot about healthy church and healthy leadership.

1 Timothy Beware of Bad Doctrine October 23, 2022 Timothy was a young leader trying to lead the church in Ephesus. This letter was written by an aging Paul, near the end of his life. This letter talks a lot about healthy church and healthy leadership. 1 Timothy 1:3-6 NIV As I urged you when I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:3-6, John 1:1-4, John 14:6, John 14:26, Romans 7:18-20, 1 Timothy 3:1-7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"i'm On An Unsinkable Ship."

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Hulse on Apr 2, 2024

This message compares a figurative ship called "The Ole Ship of Zion" with the power of the gospel. The gospel encounters opposition from worldly forces as the ship sails on treacherous waters. However, the gospel message continues to thrive and change hearts and lives even today.

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES (Acts 27:27) "But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;" (Acts 27:28-29) [28] ...read more

Scripture: Acts 27:7-10, Acts 27:27-29, Acts 27:30-34, Acts 27:27

Denomination: Pentecostal

Name Above All Names - Jesus Is Stronger Than The Occult Series

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Feb 16, 2010

Many desire spiritual power, so they fall into the occult. This passage is about the conflict of spiritual powers. Includes discussion of neo-pagans which many church members having unknowingly dabbled.

What if you came upon something that was so powerful, it could alter your own personal destiny or alter the destiny of others at your will? Would you desire that power? What if this power could make you the most important person in the state, perhaps the nation? How much would something like ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:1-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Missing Persons Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 30, 2005

Paul was sorely missed when he departed from Ephesus--because of his MANNER of life, his MESSAGE, and his MOTTO. Link included for formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Template.

Missing Persons Acts 20:36-38 Will you be missed when you are gone? We were glad you missed us this past weekend. It makes us feel needed to know it makes a difference when we are absent. The Apostle Paul spent 3 years w/ these believers in Ephesus, and it was very sad for them to see him go. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:36-38

Denomination: Baptist

So You Call Yourself A Pastor 1 Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Feb 9, 2009

Exposition of Acts 20:17-24. First of a three part series on Paul’s charge to the elders of Ephesus at Miletus. This message is about Paul’s example of how ministry should be done.

Text: Acts 20:17-24, Title: So Call Yourself a Pastor I, Date/Place: NRBC, 2/8/09, AM A. Opening illustration: Bad preachers on God Stuff—youtube.com 30 second intro, pause it B. Background to passage: Paul is on his way back to Jerusalem to deliver an offering that he has taken up for the famined ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

Mass Repentance Series

Contributed by John Lowe on May 12, 2017

Some of the believers had come into the church at Ephesus and had continued to practice magic secretly. When they got the word about the misfortune and suffering of the sons of Sceva, they determined to sever their connections with the “CURIOUS ARTS.”

August 15, 2015 By: Tom Lowe Lesson: Mass Repentance (Acts 19:18-19) Acts 19:18-19 (KJV) 18 And many that believed came, and confessed, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:18-19

Denomination: Baptist

"too Much Of A Good Thing" Series

Contributed by John Huyser on Jul 18, 2023

Blessed with the Spiritual Gifts of faith knowledge and perseverance, Ephesus' greatest strengths led to their greatest weakness. Indeed, you can have too much of a good thing when love is absent.

SLIDE 1: Winnie the Pooh Sometimes, a children’s story from the past can help set the stage for new topics. A fitting one is Winnie the Pooh. He knew it was lunch time because his empty stomach told him so. He headed off to Rabbit’s house because Rabbit always had honey. “Rabbit – Are you ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Returning To Your First Love Series

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Mar 6, 2025

God desires that we remain passionately in love with Him. The warning to the church in Ephesus serves as a reminder that good works and religious activities are not enough—our love for God must remain fresh and vibrant.

RETURNING TO YOUR FIRST LOVE By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: Revelation 2:4-5 "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:4-5

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Pastors (Clergy, Ministers, Preachers)

Contributed by Curtis Kittrell on Oct 16, 2001

What characteristics should mark a pastor’s life? Paul briefly described some qualifications that the elders or overseers should have. Paul had given Timothy a similar set of instructions for the church in Ephesus.

PASTORS (Clergy, Ministers, Preachers) WHO PASTORS ARE What characteristics should mark a pastor’s life? BIBLE READING: Titus 1:5-9 KEY BIBLE VERSE: I left you there on the island of Crete so that you could do whatever was needed to help strengthen each of its churches, and I asked you to appoint ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:5-9

Denomination: Pentecostal

Apollos Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jan 9, 2022

Apollos was a 1st-century Alexandrian Jewish Christian mentioned several times in the New Testament. A contemporary and colleague of Paul the Apostle, he played an essential role in the early development of the churches of Ephesus and Corinth.

Apollos Born 1st century Died 1st century Venerated in Anglican Communion Coptic Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox Churches Roman Catholic Church Feast February 13th Apollos was a 1st-century Alexandrian Jewish Christian mentioned several times in the New Testament. A ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:24

Denomination: Baptist