The Church Of Ephesus, The Church That Had Left Their First Love Series

Sermons from the Book of Revelation: 04/11/2010

Sermon #1: The Church at Ephesus:

The Church That Had Lost Its First Love:

Scripture Ref: Revelation 2:1-7

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; ‘These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Introduction:

The APOSTLE JOHN wrote this book of REVELATION. This was JOHN, the BELOVED DISCIPLE that was so CLOSE to JESUS. This was the DISCIPLE that JESUS while HANGING on the CROSS, COMMITTED the CARE of HIS MOTHER, MARY, after HIS DEATH.

CHURCH HISTORY teaches us that JOHN went to the city of EPHESUS & he PASTORED the CHURCH there. The LORD BLESSED the MINISTRY of JOHN & many people were SAVED & HEALED through his MINISTRY. Some were even RAISED FROM THE DEAD by JOHN’S PRAYERS. From the LOOKS of THINGS I would say that JOHN was STILL CLOSE to JESUS, wouldn’t you?

About 30 years after the DEATH of JESUS, the EMPORER of ROME DOMITIAN didn’t APPRECIATE the MINISTRY of JOHN, so he had JOHN ARRESTED & he was brought to JERUSALEM & was placed in a POT of HOT OIL & HIS INTENTIONS were to BOIL JOHN to his DEATH. JOHN was 90 YEARS OLD when he PASTORED at EPHESUS. Not very many CHURCHES TODAY would even ACCEPT a 90 YEAR OLD PASTOR!

It is said that JOHN CONTINUED to PREACH from INSIDE the BOILING POT of OIL & JESUS INTERVENED and JOHN wasn’t HARMED. It PAYS to BE CLOSE to JESUS!

So then the EMPORER had JOHN EXILED on the nearby ISLE called PATMOS. It was a PLACE where HARDENED & CRUEL & VIOLENT CRIMINALS were SENTENCED.

But we find SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL.

I John 1:10- 11 ‘I was IN THE SPIRIT on the LORD’S DAY & heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha & Omega, the first & the last, & What thou seest, write in a book & send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia..’

COMMENT:

GOD WASN’T FINISHED with PASTOR JOHN. The HOLY SPIRIT was about to GIVE JOHN a MIGHTY REVELATION.

{Do you think JOHN was just SITTING THERE, BORED & THUMBING through the SONG BOOK with a WANDERING MIND that was OFF of GOD. when SUDDENLY he was SLAIN in the SPIRIT & was in a DIFFERENT WORLD for a TIME?}

Would we LIKE to be MINISTERED TO by the HOLY SPIRIT when we are FACING TRIALS & taken to a DIFFERENT WORLD for a while? Don’t you THINK that we NEED to SERIOUSLY FIX our HEARTS & MINDS on PRAISING & GLORIFYING GOD?

Psalm 112: 7 ‘He shall not be afraid of evil things, his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.’

Psalm 57:7 ‘My heart is fixed o GOD, I will sing & give praise.’

GOD is GOOD REGARDLESS of WHAT we are GOING THROUGH!

I CANNOT GARAUNTEE that we’ll be SLAIN in SPIRIT & SHOWN DEEP & MYSTERIOUS THINGS like JOHN was, but I do BELIEVE the SPIRIT of GOD will MINISTER STRENGTH & GRACE & POWER to us WHEN we SERIOUSLY begin to WORSHIP & EXALT JESUS CHRIST.

That is WHERE we are MISSING IT church! We have to REALLY WANT a MOVING of GOD in our lives!

Most of the book of REVELATION deals with the FUTURE EVENTS that are YET TO COME.

Revelation 1: 1 ‘The revelation of JESUS CHRIST, which GOD gave unto HIM, to show unto HIS servants; things which must shortly come to pass.’

The FUTURE is IMPORTANT. The BIBLE says that we are FOOLISH to LIVE TODAY and NOT TRY to PREPARE for the FUTURE. I mean, the CHANCES are HIGH that MOST of us will SEE TOMORROW so we SHOULD’T LIVE JUST for TODAY.

We NEED to FOCUS on TODAY because the WAY we LIVE TODAY is what DETERMINES WHERE we’ll BE & WHAT we’ll BE DOING in the FUTURE.