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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 8

TITLE: THE LOVELESS CHURCH

TEXT: REVELATION 2:1-7

INTRODUCTION: (1) LOVE IS THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY!

* LOVE FOR CHRIST FIRST OF ALL, AND LOVE FOR OTHERS THAT PROCEEDS THAT ORIGINATES FROM LOVE FOR CHRIST.

** AND THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT CHARACTERIZE BIBLICAL CHRISTIANS LIKE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST WHICH IS A FRUIT OF LOVE, HOLINESS, IMITATING CHRIST AND A REVERENTIAL FEAR OF GOD.

*** BUT THE SUPREME CHARACTERISTIC OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN IS LOVE FOR HIS LORD PERIOD, WITH MANY FRUITS THAT FOLLOW.

**** LET ME ILLUSTRATE FROM SCRIPTURE.

(2) WHEN CHALLENGED TO NAME THE SINGLE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW BY A LAWYER ONE DAY, JESUS REPLIED IN MATTHEW 22:37&38.

* THEN IN MATTHEW 10:37&38, JESUS CHALLENGED HIS DISCIPLES TO MAKE LOVE FOR HIM THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF THEIR LIVES (READ THEM).

** IN JOHN 21:15-17, TO REVEAL PETER’S SPIRITUAL CONDITION, JESUS ASKED HIM WHAT? DO YOU LOVE ME?

*** IN JOHN1 4:15 JESUS SAID: (READ IT).

**** IN JOHN 8:42 IN SPEAKING TO SOME JEWISH PEOPLE, JESUS SAID, “IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER, YOU WOULD LOVE ME.”

(3) AND THEN IN II CORINTHIANS 5:14 PAUL SAID, (READ IT).

* NOW I’VE GIVEN YOU ALL THESE VERSES TO EMPHASIZE THAT LOVE FOR CHRIST FIRST OF ALL AS OUR FIRST LOVE IS THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY.

* YET WHILE LOVE FOR THE LORD JESUS WILL ALWAYS BE PRESENT IN TRUE CHRISTIANS, IT CAN FLUCTUATE IN ITS INTENSITY. IT’S NOT ALWAYS A HOT LOVE THAT RESULTS IN LOVING CHRIST THE WAY WE SHOULD.

*** TRUE CHRISTIANS WILL ALWAYS LOVE CHRIST, BUT NOT ALWAYS WITH ALL THEIR HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH.

**** OUR DEVOTION AND HOLY PASSION FOR CHRIST WANES AT TIMES, IT’S UP AND DOWN. AND WE CAN BECOME VERY MECHANICAL.

(4) AND A CHRISTIAN WHO LEAVES THEIR FIRST LOVE WILL LOSE THEIR LIGHT. AND A CHURCH THAT LOSES IT’S LOVE WILL LOSE IT’S LIGHT.

* AND THERE IS NO BETTER ILLUSTRATION IN SCRIPTURE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF ALLOWING LOVE FOR CHRIST TO WANE THAN THIS LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS.

** FOR AFTER COMPLIMENTING THIS STRATEGIC CHURCH IN ASIA MINOR OUR LORD SAID IN REVELATION 2:4 (READ).

*** AND BELOVED, THIS IS AN EXTREME SERIOUS ISSUE AND CHALLENGE FOR US AS A CHURCH AND AS A PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE CHURCH.

**** IN LIGHT OF THAT, I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY, “THE LOVELESS CHURCH” AS WE STUDY CHRIST’S MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS.

(5) AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 6 POINTS (WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER TODAY).

* NO. 1 THE CHURCH, V. 1, SPECIFICALLY THE CHURCH ADDRESSED: EPHESUS; NO. 2 THE COMPLIMENT OUR LORD GIVES THEM IN VV. 2&3; NO. 3 THE COMPLAINT AGAINST THEM, V. 4; NO. 4 THE COMMANDS TO THEM FROM CHRIST, V. 5; NO. 5 THE COMMENDATION FOR SOMETHING THEY HATED, V. 6; AND NO. 6 THE CHALLENGE FROM THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH – CHRIST, V. 7.

** AND BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER, LET’S DIVE IN AND BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST POINT TODAY IN V. 1, THE CHURCH. LOOK AT V. 1 PLEASE.

I. THE CHURCH, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW THE LOCAL CHURCH THAT THIS FIRST LETTER IS ADDRESSED TO IS THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS.

* AND YOU CAN SEE IT’S LOCATION ON THE SCREEN.

** AND PERHAPS NO CHURCH IN HISTORY HAD AS RICH A HERITAGE AS THE CONGREGATION IN EPHESUS.

*** FOR ACCORDING TO ACTS 20:31 THE APOSTLE PAUL SPENT 3 YEARS MINISTERING TO AND EQUIPPING THIS CHURCH, THE MOST TIME HE EVER SPENT AT ANY CHURCH. (HE ALSO GAVE SPECIAL INSTRUCTION TO THE EPHESIAN ELDERS IN ACTS 20:17-38 ON HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM).

**** BEYOND THAT PAUL’S CLOSE FRIENDS, PRISCILLA AND AQUILLA FIRST COMMUNICATED THE GOSPEL TO THIS CITY.

1. AFTER THAT APOLLOS, THE ELOQUENT PREACHER AND POWERFUL DEBATER JOINED PRISCILLA AND AQUILLA.

* SO PRISCILLA, AQUILLA AND APOLLOS ACTUALLY LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR PAUL’S MINISTRY IN EPHESUS.

** AND AFTER PAUL’S LONG WORK THERE, HE WOULD DISPATCH HIS SON IN THE FAITH, TIMOTHY, A MAN HE TRAINED FOR MINISTRY TO THAT CHURCH AND PAUL WOULD WRITE TWO EPISTLES TO TIMOTHY WHILE HE WAS THERE, I AND II TIMOTHY.

*** AND FINALLY ACCORDING TO THE TESTIMONY OF THE EARLY CHURCH, THE APOSTLE JOHN SPENT THE LAST DECADES OF HIS LIFE AT EPHESUS, FROM WHICH HE LIKELY WROTE HIS 3 EPISTLES I, II AND III JOHN.

**** SO THIS CHURCH HAD SOME BIG GUNS WORKING WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS INCLUDING TWO APOSTLES.

2. AND CERTAINLY YOU WOULD EXPECT THEM TO BE DOCTRINALLY SOUND AND THEY WERE AS WE’LL SEE, BUT THERE WILL BE SOMETHING GREATLY LACKING IN V. 4 THAT OBVIOUSLY HAPPENED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

* AND BY THE TIME OF THIS LETTER, 4 DECADES HAD PASSED SINCE THE BIRTH OF THIS CHURCH.

** THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS GONE, AS WERE MANY OF THE FIRST GENERATION OF BELIEVERS CONVERTED UNDER HIS MINISTRY.

*** AND A NEW SITUATION CALLED FOR ANOTHER INSPIRED LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS, THIS ONE FROM THE LORD HIMSELF, PENNED BY THE APOSTLE JOHN.

**** SO WE HAVE JESUS GIVING THIS MESSAGE TO JOHN, JOHN TO THE ANGEL OR MESSENGER OF THIS CHURCH TO THE CHURCH.

3. AND IT’S NOT IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TAKE THE TIME TO DEBATE IF THE ANGEL OF THIS CHURCH IS A HUMAN MESSENGER, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST WEEK, FOR I WANT TO DIG INTO THE MESSAGE TO THIS CHURCH WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL CHALLENGE US AS A CHURCH.

* BUT HERE’S THE ORDER OF HOW THIS LETTER WAS GIVEN:

** JESUS – JOHN – ANGEL (MESSENGER) – CHURCH.

*** AND WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT THE ONE GIVING THIS MESSAGE IS JESUS BECAUSE IN THE REST OF V. 1 HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS THE ONE WHO HOLDS THE SEVEN STARS OR ANGELS IN HIS RIGHT HAND.

**** AND AS THE ONE WHO WALKS AMONG THE SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS, THE LAMPSTANDS BEING THE CHURCHES.

4. AND WE ORIGINALLY SAW THIS IN JOHN’S VISION OF THE GLORIFIED CHRIST IN VV. 12 & 16 OF CHAPTER 1 AND THEN INTERPRETED FOR US IN V. 20 OF CHAPTER 1.

* REVELATION 1:12 – THEN I TURNED TO SEE THE VOICE THAT WAS SPEAKING WITH ME. AND HAVING TURNED I SAW SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS.

REVELATION 1:16A – IN HIS RIGHT HAND HE HELD SEVEN STARS.

REVELATION 1:20 – AS FOR THE MYSTERY OF THE SEVEN STARS WHICH YOU SAW IN MY RIGHT HAND, AND THE SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS; THE SEVEN STARS ARE THE ANGELS OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES, AND THE SEVEN LAMPSTANDS ARE THE SEVEN CHURCHES.

** AND I CAN SEE ONLY ONE SLIGHT CHANGE. FOR IN 1:13A JESUS CHRIST IS IN THE MIDST OF THE CANDLESTICKS – THE CHURCHES AND HERE HE IS WALKING AMONG THE CHURCHES.

*** AND NO DOUBT AS CHRIST IS WALKING AMONG THE CHURCHES HE IS SCRUTINIZING, EXAMINING, ASSESSING AND EVALUATING THEM.

**** AND AS HE DOES THAT HE KNOWS THEIR DEEDS, WHICH TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS WILL LEAD TO SOME COMPLIMENTS AND THEN A COMPLAINT.

5. AND WE’LL BEGIN WITH THE COMPLIMENT OR COMPLIMENTS IN V. 12, OUR 2’D POINT TODAY. LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE.

II. THE COMPLIMENT, (READ V. 2)

A. NOW BECAUSE CHRIST IS WALKING AMONG HIS CHURCHES, HE KNOWS THEIR DEEDS.

* AND THE WORD “KNOW” IS THE GREEK WORD OY-DA.

** AND IN CONTRAST TO ANOTHER GREEK WORD TRANSLATED “KNOW” GHIN-OOE-KO (GINOSKO) WHICH REFERS TO A PROGRESSIVE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE.

*** OY-DA, THE WORD USED IN REVELATION 2:2 REFERS TO FULL AND COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE.

**** MEANING THE LORD OF THE CHURCH KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT HIS CHURCHES, BOTH GOOD AND BAD.

1. THE LORD OF THE CHURCH HAS FULL AND COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THEIR DEEDS, ALL OF THEIR WORKS.

* AND SPECIFICALLY HERE AT THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS, IN KNOWING THEIR WORKS AND DEEDS, HE KNOWS THEIR TOIL OR LABOR OR HARD WORK.

** AND THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED TOIL, LABOR OR HARD WORK DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE, DENOTES LABOR TO THE POINT OF SWEAT AND EXHAUSTION, AN ALL OUT EFFORT, LAYING IT ALL ON THE LINE.

*** AND BOTTOM LINE, THE EPHESIANS WERE DILIGENT WORKERS FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. THEIRS WAS NO SPECTATOR MENTALITY.

**** CERTAINLY THEY AS A CHURCH WERE APPLYING

I CORINTHIANS 15:58 WHERE PAUL SAYS TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH: (READ IT).

- AND THE EPHESIANS WERE LIVING OUT THIS TRUTH FOUND IN I CORINTHIANS 15:58, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD.

2. BUT NEXT, THE LORD KNEW ABOUT THEIR PERSEVERANCE, THEIR PATIENCE, THEIR PATIENT ENDURANCE.

* AND THIS WORD IN THE GREEK LIT. MEANS PATIENCE IN TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES, A COURAGEOUS ACCEPTANCE OF HARDSHIP, SUFFERING AND LOSS.

** AND THIS COMPLIMENT INDICATES THEY WENT THROUGH SOME FIERY TRIALS, BUT THROUGH THEM THEY REMAINED FAITHFUL TO THE LORD.

*** NEXT, ANOTHER PRAISEWORTHY ASPECT OF THIS CHURCH IN V. 2 WAS THAT THEY REFUSED TO TOLERATE EVIL MEN.

**** NO DOUBT THEY HELD TO A HIGH, HOLY STANDARD OF BEHAVIOR AND WERE SENSITIVE TO SIN AND WOULD NOT TOLERATE OR BEAR THE BURDEN OF EVIL MEN, MEN WHO WERE EVIL IN THEIR INFLUENCE.

3. THEY DEALT WITH THE PROBLEM OF EVIL INFLUENCE HEAD ON NO DOUBT PRACTICING CHURCH DISCIPLINE.

* FOR CHURCH DISCIPLINE CUTS OFF THE EVIL INFLUENCES OF LEAVEN IN THE CHURCH AS PAUL COMMUNICATES IN CHAPTER 5 OF I CORINTHIANS.

** AND EVIL OR LEAVEN HAS A CORRUPTING INFLUENCE IN A CHURCH AND MUST BE DEALT WITH PRIVATELY TO BEGIN WITH AND PUBLICLY IF THERE IS NO REPENTANCE.

*** AND THIS CHURCH NO DOUBT HAD THE FEAR OF THE LORD, FOR PROVERBS 8:13 SAYS: (READ IT).

**** NOW AGAIN THIS CHURCH LIVED OUT THE TRUTH FOUND HERE AND IN DOING THAT, AT THE END OF V. 2, THEY “PUT TO THE TEST THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES APOSTLES, AND THEY ARE NOT, AND FOUND THEM TO BE FALSE.”

4. AND BELOVED, THE EPHESIANS NEVER FORGOT THE ADMONITION PAUL HAD ADDRESSED TO THEIR LEADERS MANY YEARS EARLIER IN ACTS 20:28-31.

* ACTS 20:28 – “BE ON GUARD FOR YOURSELVES AND FOR ALL THE FLOCK, AMONG WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS MADE YOU OVERSEERS, TO SHEPHERD THE CHURCH OF GOD WHICH HE PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD.”

V. 29 – “I KNOW THAT AFTER MY DEPARTURE SAVAGE WOLVES WILL COME IN AMONG YOU, NOT SPARING THE FLOCK;”

V. 30 – “AND FROM AMONG YOUR OWN SELVES MEN WILL ARISE, SPEAKING PERVERSE THINGS, TO DRAW AWAY THE DISCIPLES AFTER THEM.”

V. 31 – “THEREFORE BE ON THE ALERT, REMEMBERING THAT NIGHT AND DAY FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS I DID NOT CEASE TO ADMONISH EACH ONE WITH TEARS.”

** AND FALSE TEACHERS POSE A CONSTANT DANGER TO THE CHURCH AND EVEN THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN RISE UP IN THE CHURCH AND BE PLANTED IN CHURCHES TO DIVIDE THE CHURCH.

*** AND ELDERS MUST BE DISCERNING WHO WE ALLOW TO TEACH IN THE CHURCH FROM CHILDREN, TO ADULTS, THAT IN PROTECTING THE FLOCK WE ONLY ALLOW PROVEN, MATURE, COMMITTED MEMBERS OF OUR BODY TO TEACH THE BIBLE, READ JAMES 3:1.

**** WELL THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS PRACTICED DISCERNMENT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE GREATEST NEEDS IN CHURCHES TODAY. WELL THE LORD COMMANDS THE EPHESIAN CHURCH FOR PRACTICING DISCERNMENT.

5. BUT HE ALSO CONTINUES TO COMMAND THEM IN V. 3. LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 3. NOW THE LORD COMMANDS THEM AGAIN IN V. 3 FOR THEIR PATIENCE, THEIR PERSEVERANCE, THE SAME GREEK WORD USED IN V. 2.

* AND THE RE-EMPHASIS ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THROUGH ALL THEIR DIFFICULTIES FACED OVER 40 YEARS, THROUGH ALL THEIR LABOR AND PATIENT ENDURING OF TRIALS, THEIR REFUSAL TO TOLERATE EVIL AND THEIR SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT, THEY MAINTAINED THEIR PERSEVERANCE!

** THEY ENDURED, JESUS DECLARED, FOR THE HIGHEST OF MOTIVES: “FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.”

*** AND THEY HAD DONE SO WITHOUT HAVING GROWN WEARY OR FATIGUED FROM WEARINESS, THEY DIDN’T QUIT, THEY DIDN’T GIVE UP, THEY DIDN’T THROW IN THE TOWEL.

**** AND WHEN YOU SERVE CHRIST THROUGH HIS CHURCH, THERE WILL BE GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT WITH PEOPLE, YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH INGRATITUDE AND DISLOYALTY, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH HARSH CRITICISM AND COMPLAINING.

1. BUT THROUGH ALL OF THAT, DON’T BE DISILLUSIONED WITH THE CHURCH, GOD’S ORDAINED MEANS, AND ABANDON IT AND DO YOUR OWN THING.

* NO, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, PATIENTLY ENDURE IT. DO IT FOR HIM. DO IT FOR HIS APPROVAL WHEN NO ONE ACKNOWLEDGES YOUR HARD WORK.

** GALATIANS 6:9 SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ II CORINTHIANS 4:1, HEBREWS 12:1-3 AND I CORINTHIANS 15:58 AGAIN AND COMMENT.

*** AND BELOVED, AS WE GO BACK TO V. 3, THAT’S THE COMPLIMENT WE SHOULD WANT TO HEAR FROM CHRIST, LABORING THROUGH HIS CHURCH, “YOU HAVE PERSEVERANCE AND HAVE ENDURED FOR MY NAME’S SAKE AND HAVE NOT GROWN WEARY.”

*** WHAT A COMPLIMENT! BUT MOVING ON, AFTER COMPLIMENTS IN VV. 2&3, CHRIST HAS A STINGING COMPLAINT IN V. 4, A CRITICISM THAT IF NOT PUT IN CHECK WILL LEAD TO A FALL.

**** LOOK AT V. 4 PLEASE, WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 3’D POINT TODAY, THE COMPLAINT.

III. THE COMPLAINT, (READ V. 4)

A. NOW THIS CHURCH WAS A SERVING CHURCH, A SACRIFICING CHURCH, A STEADFAST CHURCH AND A SEPARATED CHURCH.

* YET DESPITE ALL THE PRAISEWORTHY ELEMENTS IN THE EPHESIAN CHURCH, THE PENETRATING, OMNISCIENT GAZE OF THE LORD SPOTTED A FATAL FLAW.

** THEIR ORTHODOXY AND SERVICE HAD DEGENERATED INTO MECHANICAL ORTHODOXY, INTO HEARTLESS MECHANICAL WORK.

*** THEIR LOVE FOR CHRIST HAD COOLED DOWN.

**** AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAD NOT LOST THEIR FIRST LOVE, THEY LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE.

1. IN OTHER WORDS THEIR LOVE NO LONGER HAD THE FERVENCY, THE DEPTH, OR THE MEANING IT ONCE HAD IN THE CHURCH.

* LOVE MUST ALWAYS BE THE ULTIMATE MOTIVE FOR CHRIST, NOT JUST MECHANICALLY FOR HIM, BUT LOVE FOR HIM THAT MOTIVATES OUR ACTIONS.

** I MEAN WHAT WE DO FOR THE LORD IS IMPORTANT, AND WHAT WE BELIEVE IS VITAL, BUT WHY WE BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO IS VITAL.

*** AND IT IS ONLY AS WE LOVE CHRIST FERVENTLY THAT WE CAN SERVE HIM FAITHFULLY.

**** AND I ASK, WHY DO WE LOVE CHRIST? BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US? READ I JOHN 4:19.

2. AND FOR CHRIST NOT TO BE OUR FIRST LOVE IS A DANGEROUS POSITION TO BE IN. FOR OUR SERVICE IS FORMALITY WITHOUT REALITY.

* THERE IS FAITH WITHOUT FERVOR, A MERE FACADE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A HOT LOVE FOR CHRIST, GOING BACK WHEN YOU FIRST CAME TO KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

** AND HOW YOU LOVED TO READ HIS WORD, HOW YOU LOVED TO PRAY, HOW YOU LOVED TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIM, HOW YOU LOVED TO COME TO CHURCH, HOW YOU FLAT OUT LOVED JESUS.

** AND BELOVED, LEAVING YOUR FIRST LOVE FOR ANOTHER IS IDOLATRY, IT IS INGRATITUDE, IT IS THE EPITOME OF INCONSISTENCY.

**** THERE MUST BE PURITY WITH PASSION, THERE MUST BE SERVING AND BELIEVING RIGHT, WE DON’T THROW THOSE THINGS OUT, THEY ENABLE US TO LOVE CHRIST, BUT WE MUST NOT ALLOW ORTHODOXY TO TURN INTO DEAD ORTHODOXY.

3. CHRIST MUST BE OUR FIRST LOVE OVER THINGS, OVER MONEY, OVER THE WORLD, OVER FAMILY, OVER PLEASURE AND OVER OUR JOBS. IN FACT THERE ARE WARNINGS IN SCRIPTURE ABOUT LOVING ANY OF THOSE THINGS OVER CHRIST.

* FOR YOU SEE HE IS WORTHY OF BEING OUR FIRST LOVE AND ONLY AS WE LOVE HIM FIRST CAN WE LOVE OUR FAMILIES AS WE SHOULD AND HAVE PROPER PERSPECTIVE CONCERNING ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE PULLING US.

** AND MAYBE YOU’RE HERE TODAY AND THIS DESCRIBES YOU TO A “T” AND YOU’RE CONVICTED AND YOU’RE THINKING, RAY WHAT DO I DO?

*** WELL, THE COMMANDS IN V. 5 GIVE US INSTRUCTION ON WHAT TO DO TO RETURN, SO LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE AS WELL SEE OUR 4TH POINT TODAY, THE COMMANDS.

IV. THE COMMANDS, (READ V. 5).

A. NOW THERE ARE 3 COMMANDS, 3 IMPERATIVE VERBS IN V. 5 THAT GIVE US A FORMULA FOR RETURNING TO CHRIST AS OUR FIRST LOVE. THREE PRACTICAL THINGS A CHURCH AND THOSE WHO MAKE UP THE CHURCH HAVE TO DO, SO CHRIST WILL BE THEIR FIRST LOVE.

* AND THE VERBS IN THE IMPERATIVE MOOD ARE REMEMBER, REPENT AND DO THE WORK, THE DEEDS YOU DID AT FIRST.

** AND TO HELP YOU REMEMBER THESE 3 COMMANDS, THINK OF REMEMBER, REPENT AND RETURN OR RECAPTURE. REMEMBER, REPENT AND RETURN.

*** AND FIRST OF ALL REMEMBER. AND REMEMBERING IS VITAL FOR SPIRITUAL FORGETFULNESS IS FREQUENTLY THE INITIAL CAUSE OF SPIRITUAL DECLINE.

**** AND YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, RAY, WHAT SHOULD WE REMEMBER?

1. WELL, THE ENGLISH WORD “REMEMBER” IS USED 167 TIMES IN THE NAS.

* AND WE OBVIOUSLY ARE A FORGETFUL PEOPLE, SO WE NEED TO BE REMINDED. AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU A FEW REMINDERS TODAY.

* IN EPHESIANS 2:11, REMEMBER THE ROCK FROM WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN HEWN – “THEREFORE REMEMBER THAT FORMERLY YOU, THE GENTILES IN THE FLESH, WHO ARE CALLED “UNCIRCUMCISON” BY THE SO-CALLED “CIRCUMCISION,” WHICH IS PERFORMED IN THE FLESH BY HUMAN HANDS.”

*** REMEMBER THE LORD’S DEATH AND THAT HE’S COMING BACK AGAIN. READ I CORINTHIANS 11:23-26.

**** REMEMBER THAT THE LORD WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, II TIMOTHY 2:8 – “REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST, RISEN FROM THE DEAD, DESCENDANT OF DAVID, ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL.”

2. NEXT REMEMBER THAT THE LORD DOESN’T REMEMBER YOUR SINS, READ HEBREWS 10:17.

* REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE, LUKE 17:32, AND REMEMBER HER AS ONE WHO LOVED THE WORLD AND DISOBEYED THE COMMAND TO NOT LOOK BACK AT SODOM, BUT SHE DID BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PLACE SHE LOVED.

** BUT LAST OF ALL, REMEMBER THE WORD OF GOD, READ PSALM 119:16.

*** AND BELOVED ALL OF THESE REMINDERS SHOULD BRING SWEET MEMORIES OF OUR GREAT SALVATION AND SAVIOR AND MOTIVATE US TO OBEY THE 2’D COMMAND TO REPENT.

**** AND TO REPENT IS TO TURN FROM, TO CHANGE OUR MINDS ABOUT SOMETHING.

(3) TAKE GOD’S VIEW OF THE MATTER, AGREE WITH HIM THAT CHRIST NOT BEING YOUR FIRST LOVE IS SIN AND TURN FROM IT.

* AND THEN THIRDLY RETURN, AND THE FRUIT OF REPENTANCE IS TO RETURN, DO THE DEEDS YOU DID AT FIRST WHEN YOU LOVED CHRIST WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART.

** TRUE REPENTANCE PRODUCES ACTIONS. WE NEED TO RECAPTURE THE RICHNESS OF BIBLE STUDY, DEVOTION TO PRAYER AND PASSION FOR WORSHIP THAT ONCE CHARACTERIZED US.

**** REMEMBER, REPENT, RETURN. AND I REMIND YOU THESE IMPERATIVES LEAVE NO OPTION, CHRIST IS NOT GIVING FRIENDLY ADVICE, BUT ISSUING COMMANDS.

(4) AND FAILURE TO OBEY THESE COMMANDS INTRODUCES THE WARNING OF REMOVAL OF THE LAMPSTAND UNLESS THERE IS REPENTANCE OF SIN.

* AND THE COMING OF JESUS HERE IS NOT THE 2’D COMING BUT HIS COMING TO THEM IN LOCAL JUDGMENT ON THAT CHURCH.

** IN OTHER WORDS, FAILURE TO HEED THE WARNING WOULD CAUSE CHRIST TO REMOVE THEIR LAMPSTAND (SYMBOLIC OF THE CHURCH) OUT OF IT’S PLACE.

*** AND TRAGICALLY, CHRIST THREATENED DIVINE JUDGMENT THAT WOULD BE AN END TO THE EPHESIAN CHURCH.

**** AND TRAGICALLY, AT A LATER PERIOD OF HISTORY THIS CHURCH SUCCUMBED AND THERE IS NO LONGER A CHURCH THERE.

(5) FOR YOU SEE A CHURCH THAT LOSES IT’S LOVE WILL LOSE IT’S LIGHT.

* THOSE COMMANDS ARE SERIOUS. BUT NOTICE AFTER THE BLOW OF VV. 4&5, CHRIST COMMENDS THIS CHURCH FOR ONE MORE THING AND THEN WILL CHALLENGE THEM. LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL QUICKLY SEE OUR 5TH POINT THE COMMENDATION.

V. THE COMMENDATION, (READ V. 6)

A. NOW THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS HATED THE DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS WHICH THE LORD HATED.

* AND IN THE PROGRESSION OF THESE 7 CHURCHES THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM HAD SOME IN THEIR CHURCH WHO HELD TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS, WHICH CHRIST CALLED THEM TO REPENT OF.

** AND THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO REFERENCES TO THE NICOLAITANS IN SCRIPTURE, SO WE HAVE TO SPECULATE ON WHAT THEIR DEEDS WERE.

*** AND LET ME SAY, THERE IS A HISTORICAL VIEW OF WHAT THEIR DEEDS WERE, AND AN ETYMOLOGICAL VIEW WHICH GOES INTO THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD NICOLAITANS.

**** BUT BECAUSE OF TIME, I AM NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THESE VIEWS WHICH AGAIN CANNOT BE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED.

1. BUT SUFFICE TO SAY, THE KEY HERE IS THESE BELIEVERS HATED WHAT THE LORD HATED.

* AND WE ARE TO HAVE A HOLY HATRED, TO UTTERLY DETEST WHAT THE LORD DETESTS, TO APPLY WHAT ROMANS 12:9 SAYS: “TO ABHOR THAT WHICH IS EVIL AND TO CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD.”

** ALSO READ PSALM 97:10, PSALM 101:3, PSALM 119:103&104 AND I PETER 3:10&11.

*** AND BELOVED, WE MUST NOT ONLY LOVE THE LORD FIRST, BUT WE MUST ABHOR, HATE WHAT HE HATES, FOR HE IS HOLY AND HAS A HOLY HATRED FOR EVIL.

**** AND THE LORD COMMENDS THIS CHURCH FOR HATING WHAT HE HATED, THE DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST POINT TODAY, A CLOSING CHALLENGE. LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

VI. THE CHALLENGE, (READ V. 7)

A. NOW THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS CLOSES WITH A CHALLENGE AND PROMISE.

* THE CHALLENGE IS TO LISTEN UP, TO TAKE HEED TO GOD’S VOICE IN SCRIPTURE WHICH COMES THROUGH THE INSPIRING MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

** AND THIS CHALLENGE IS TO ALL CHURCHES. FOR CHURCHES IS PLURAL HERE AND EVERY CHURCH OF ALL TIMES NEEDS TO LISTEN UP AND APPLY THEE TRUTHS GIVEN BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

*** EVERY CHURCH NEEDS TO HEAR EVERY MESSAGE TO THE 7 CHURCHES.

**** AND WHO MAKES UP THE CHURCH? BELIEVERS HERE CALLED OVERCOMERS.

1. FOR OVERCOMERS DOES NOT REFER TO CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE ATTAINED TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, BUT IDENTIFIES ALL CHRISTIANS.

* FOR JOHN HIMSELF DEFINES WHAT AN OVERCOMER IS IN HIS FIRST EPISTLE IN I JOHN 5:4&5 WHERE HE SAID: (READ IT).

** AND BELOVED, ALL TRUE BELIEVERS ARE OVERCOMERS WHO HAVE BY GOD’S GRACE AND POWER OVERCOME THE DAMNING POWER OF THE EVIL WORLD SYSTEM.

*** AND THEN AT THE END OF V. 7, CHRIST PROMISES THE OVERCOMES AT EPHESUS THAT THEY WILL “EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE WHICH IS IN THE PARADISE OF GOD.”

**** AND THE TREE OF LIFE WAS IN THE BEGINNING THE GARDEN OF EDEN IN GENESIS 2:9.

2. BUT THAT EARTHLY TREE WAS LOSE DUE TO MAN’S SIN AND HE WAS FORBIDDEN TO EAT OF IT IN GENESIS 3:22.

* BUT THERE WILL BE A TREE OF LIFE IN REVELATION 22 IN THE NEW JERUSALEM THAT WILL BE THERE THROUGHOUT ETERNITY.

** THUS THE TREE OF LIFE SYMBOLIZES ETERNAL LIFE IN THE PARADISE OF GOD – HEAVEN, THE NEW JERUSALEM.

*** ALL OVERCOMERS, ALL TRUE BELIEVERS WHO PERSEVERE BY GRACE WILL RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN WITH GOD ALL-MIGHTY!

QUICKLY, AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) THE EXAMPLE OF THE EPHESIAN CHURCH WARNS US AS A CHURCH THAT DOCTRINAL ORTHODOXY AND OUTWARD SERVICE, WHICH ARE VITAL, CANNOT MAKE UP FOR A COLD HEART.

* DEAR CHURCH, WE NEED BOTH!

** SO IS THERE ORTHODOXY WITH ORTHOPRAXY? WE MUST HAVE BOTH.

*** AND IF WE ARE ONLY ORTHODOX WITH COLD HEARTS OUR NEED TODAY IS TO REMEMBER, REPENT AND RETURN.

**** MAY WE LISTEN UP TODAY AND TAKE HEED TO THIS MESSAGE. AND MAY CHRIST BE OUR FIRST LOVE TODAY, DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER IN CHRIST.

(2) THE BEST IS YET TO COME, THE TREE OF LIFE IN THE PARADISE OF GOD. BUT UNTIL THEN, MAY WE LOVE CHRIST FIRST AND NOT LOSE OUR LIGHT.