Welcome back to our study of the Seven Churches of The Revelation. Today we continue our visit to the church at
Ephesus: The Church That Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.
Let’s begin by reviewing the Scriptures where we find this letter from Jesus.
Revelation 2: 1-7
1 “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:
2 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.
3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
5 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.
6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 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.
Jesus’ Greeting to the Church – ‘He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.’
- This greeting is taken from Jesus’ description of Himself in Revelation 1:13 and 16
- Christ’s holding of the seven stars in his right hand signifies that He controls the church. The leaders of each church are HIS leaders. No leader of any church is above the control of the Lord, and Jesus has the authority to scrutinize and address the church
- The Greek words for ‘hold’ and ‘walk’ are both present active participles indicating a continuing holding and a continuing walking about.
Commendations of the Church by Christ
When Jesus said that He KNOWS their deeds, He used the word oida (know) instead of ginosko. Oido means complete knowledge rather than ginosko, which means progressively acquired knowledge.
- Works, labor mentioned twice –vs 2 and 3
- A serving church – the Greek word used here for labor or work means labor to the point of exhaustion. This church did not shy away from hard work for the cause of Christ. This probably included witnessing to the lost, encouraging the saints, and caring for the needy.
- A sacrificing church
- Patience, perseverance mentioned twice – vs. 2 and 3
- The word for patience is hupomone, which means endurance under trial.
- Cannot bear those who are evil
- This church had high standards and was not willing to deviate from them. They were sensitive to sin,and not willing to tolerate it.
- Most commentators make mention that this church probably practiced biblical church discipline.
- Tested those who claim to be apostles and found them liars
- Acts 20:28-31 – Paul had urged this church to be on guard about this years prior.
- Hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans
- Notice that God hated the DEEDS of the Nicolaitans, not the Nicolaitans themselves. This is a message to the church today. We must remember this as we deal with those in the culture today who do not live according to Christian standards.
Rebukes of the Church by Jesus
- Left your first love
- First love is the honeymoon type of love – totally sold out and devoted. Seeking Jesus with all our heart.
- Jesus was clear that loving God was the first and most important commandment – Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22: 37-38
- What we do for Christ is important, but why we do it is even more important. 1 Thessalonians 1: 2-3, John 14: 21, 23
- Their labor had become a substitute for love – Jeremiah 2: 13
- Losing our first love can result in many things: spiritual apathy, lack of care for others, a love for the world, a willingness to compromise with evil, judgment, and eventually the death of the church. Loss of first love is a spiritual cancer.
Jesus’s Promises to the Church at Ephesus
- If they do not repent, He will remove their lampstand
- The city of Ephesus today is only a heap of stones. Apparently this church did not heed the warnings of Christ
- “Neither history nor appropriate activity is sufficient to demand the continued blessings of God; rather, the only motivation must be love for Christ.” NAC – p.86
- Removal of a church does not endanger the kingdom of God….even a successful church. NAC – p.87
- If they overcome, He will make sure they eat of the tree of life in the Paradise of God
- Remember their first love – keep on remembering
- Repent of their sin – 1 John 1:9 – What did they need to repent of? Failing to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
- Repeat the deeds of their first love
- Prayer
- Scripture study
- Fellowship
- Service
- Worship
- Tree of Life
- Tree of life symbolizes eternal life with God in heaven.
- The Ephesian people might have connected this because of the Artemesion. In the heart of the temple of Diana/Artemis was a tree-shrine used specifically for the worship of Artemis/Diana. According to ancient documents, this was the most sacred part of the temple and was sometimes referred to as the tree of life.
What is our takeaway from Ephesus?
- Be diligent and intentional in your relationship with Christ
- Do the things that draw you close to Christ – Bible study, prayer, Worship
- Be aware that others may try to entice you away from Christ.
- Pastors have a responsibility to make sure their congregation is staying true to their first love
