The Four "R"S In Ephesus

THE FOUR "R"s IN EPHESUS

REV. 2:1-7

(You say there are not four "r"s in Ephesus. In fact there are not any "R" in Ephesus. Well it’s kind of like when I was a boy we said, "Railroad Crossing - look out for the Cars - can you spell THAT without any "r"s T-H-A-T

A. This is actually a Sunday Evening Message: I am preaching a Sunday evening message this morning for two reasons. (1) We don’t have a Sunday evening service tonight and I wanted to preach this today. (2) This is a beginning of a series of messages for Sunday evening and I want you to know what you will be missing next Sunday evening if you are not here. So it kind of like a commercial. If it is a boring message - I might be the only one here next Sunday evening.

A. Actually, what we have here is Matrimonial counseling secession given to a bride to be as she is awaiting her love to come for her. She has a problem. The problem is that she has left her first love. The advice given is the 4 "R"s.

1. Remember - 2. Repent - 3. Repeat - 4. Remove.

B. I love the study of the seven churches of the Revelation. I believe there is a threefold message that God give to us.

1. It is a message to those individual churches.

2. It give us a prophetic picture of the entire church age.

3. There is a lesson in each and every on of these church

for us here at Central Baptist Church.

C. There is a wonderful way to outline the message to each of these seven church.

1. To Whom it is addressed.

2. From whom it comes.

3. The commendation.

4. The condemnation or judgment.

5. A Commission (Something to do)

6. The promise of a special reward for being faithful.

D. * IT WAS ADDRESSED TO Ephesus (desire).

* IT CAME FROM the one who holds the seven stars in his

right hand and walks in the midst of the seven golden

lampstands. Rev. 1:20 is the key.

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

* THE COMMENDATION. V-2-3

I 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: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

a. They possessed the 3 great spiritual gifts. - Faith - Hope - Love.

1 Cor. 13:13

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these charity.

1 Thess. 1:3

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

b. They could not bear them that were evil.

They had no tolerance for those who lived wrong. They say you can tell more about people by what they are against that by what they stand for.

c. They put their teachers to the test. This is probably the great wrong of the church in the 20 century. They have permitted doctrine that is not Apostolic. The faith that was once and for all give to the saints.

d. Verse 3 gives their motive: They borne, had patience, and labored . .for His name sake.

* THE CONDEMNATION (what He Had against them)

They had left their first love.

* THE WARNING. (They were in danger of a power failure.)

Explain the Lampstand. Church has no light of her own. It is true that the church is the light of the world but only as it reflects the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If the light goes out in a church it become only a social organization.

T/S VERSE 5 GIVE US THE 4 "R"s FOR THE REMEDY OF THE PROBLEM.

(It is the same 4 "R"s that you and I need to apply the Central Baptist Church.

I. REMEMBER

Rev 2:5 Remember 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.

A. The ability to remember is a wonderful attribute of the human race. It brings us both pain and joy. When we recall pleasant thing and experiences of joy in our life it brings us happiness but when we recall sad experiences it bring us pain.