EPHESUS: EAGER BUT INDIGENT

#215                                    EPHESUS: EAGER BUT INDIGENT                                                     

Scripture Revelation 2:1-7, NIV                                                                                  Orig. 1/16/1966

                                                                                                                                 Rewr. 8/30/1986

Passage: 1 “To the angel[a] 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 people, 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 the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far 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 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Purpose:           Using a Sunday evening series on the seven letters, sharing with my people the need for the church to be faithful to God and His commands.

Keywords:        Faithfulness                 Obedience

Timeline/Series:           Revelation letters

Introduction

            The first concept of this book is declared by the name which the book bears, Apocalypsis Ioannis, the Revelation of John.  The text clarifies this for us.  It is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ . . . Unto His Servant John,”  The word “Revelation,” better defined means to “uncover,” “to lay bare,” “to expose what has been kept in secret.”  It is, then, a disclosure of truth.  Paul uses this very word in I Corinthians 2:9-10a, Phillips:  

“9-10a But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him’. But God has, through the Spirit, let us share his secret.”

            Here are main approaches to The Book of Revelation by those who seek to understand its message.  They are as follows:

·         (1) Historist.  The historical perspective—The entire book was written to all then-existent churches through these seven churches named in chapters 2 and 3.  Some go so far as to suggest that Revelation is without significance to us outside of affording us a possible history lesson.

·         (2) Futurist.  The prophetic perspective—The churches listed represent various epochs through all history.  Ephesus represented the apostolic times.  One of these latter ones represents the church today.

·         (3) Idealist.  The transcending perspective—Through these seven churches, God speaks to all churches through-out all time.

            A brief background of the city is that this was one of the chief cities of the day.  It was wealthy, cultured, and corrupt.  It stood nearest to Patmos, from which place John received his vision.  Paul seems to have been the one who organized the church.  On his second journey, he spent two years there.  John, before his present exile to an Aegean isle spent years in and around Ephesus as pastor and itinerant evangelist.

I.          First, it contains an introduction to the people.

            It is from the Lord.  Precedent is Revelation 1:17-20.  “I am the first and last: I am he that liveth . . . The seven stars are the angels . . . and the seven candlesticks . . . are the seven churches.”  He is the One who holds these “messengers” in His hand.  It is His message,  He is the guarantor of its delivery.  His presence among His people is assured.  Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: For the time is at hand.”

            John 10:28.   28 ”I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”  Kratein---holding, rather to “hold fast.”  He “walks” (in the sense of thoroughly).  This letter is to the church in Ephesus.  As already mentioned, John had been its pastor.  Because of its location, and link with both Paul and John. It was an important link.  However, the church is loosening this hold on “first love.”

II.         Secondly, it is a message of instruction.  V4 “. . . I have somewhat against thee . . . .  Remember therefore.”

            A  look at what has been. Diligence to duty: work—service rendered; labor—toil at the cost of pain; patience—unwavering endurance.   Chris Evert—16 years in the Open.  More important, people who have come back again and again to serve.  Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well-doing.”  They had been zealous against evil.  V2  “cannot bear (evil) ones.”     

            The Lord knows as well what they have left undone.  There are sins of commission. We do what ought to remain undone.  There are also sins of omission.  We leave undone what we clearly ought to do.  Jesus spoke of it thusly—“They have left their first love.”  It is not in the sense of deserting the cause, as in the case of Demas “hath forsaken us.”  But in the sense of neglect—the verb, by the way, is singular.  Here’s the rub—they were working their heads off, but not for Christ’s sake, but rather their own.  Remember the parable of seeds/soil.  Some sprang up quickly, but without roots going deep to nourishment they perished.

III.       In Addition to Words of Introduction and Instruction, there is an Injunction.  V5, “Remember . . . or else.”

            “Remember” the prodigal son—refer again to those glorious years you served out of love for Christ. When you were repulsed.  When you were maligned and jeered.  When the idea of the church was scorned.  When believers joined slowly, but they came in with redeemed hearts.  Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you scribes, Pharisees. You do what appeals to the flesh.  You leave undone judgment, mercy,  faith.”  Which you should have done with leaving others undone.

            “Repent”—Not mere intellectual enlightenment.  2 Corinthians 7:9f “I rejoiced, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed unto repentance: . . . godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of.”  Abhorrence over our sins.  Heartbreak over our inability to change.  It is interesting to consider the idea of the church symbolized by the candlestick where the light has gone out, a candlestick is just one more thing to stumble over in the dark.

            “Return”—to this prior love for Christ, to work done for His glory.  Hebrews 3:3 “For this man was counted worthy of more honor than Moses, inasmuch as he who has builded the house hath more honor than the house.”  Jeremiah 2:2 “Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.”

            Or, “Retribution”—2:5 “I will remove the candlestick.”  Ephesus is no more.  The ruins are there, and they are impressive.  Temple of Diana (7 wonders), stadium, market.  It was here, you remember, that Paul opposed the silversmiths.  Here was a Roman bath containing over 100,000 square feet.  A harbor city, called “the market of Asia.” But a place of pagan superstitions, and immorality was rampant.

IV.       We Must Be Especially Sure that We Grasp the Message to Churches for Our Day.

            Christ is Lord of every church.  His voice must be heard on determination of leadership.  Episkopos—overseer (to watch over);  presbuteros—elder, level of spiritual expertise; poimen—pastor/shepherd. He gives leadership to each church.  “Walketh in the midst.”  “I know  your works.”

            He is the One qualified to dispense rewards and punishments.  He judges all activities.  He judges on the basis of heart response and not lip service.  Ephesians 6:8  “Whatsoever good any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free.”  I Corinthians 5:10 “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, whether it be good or bad.”

            Love for Christ must be primary in the church. II Timothy 1:12, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him.”

            The church’s charter is temporary—valid only so long as we are faithful to our Lord.  Ephesus today is an archaeologist’s dream, nothing more.  A city passed by.  The Cayster silted in.  She is miles from the Aegean.

Conclusion

            Dr. F.D. Coggan, Archbishop of York, has a pertinent word for us in conclusion.  He says that fulfilling the command of the Lord is the prerequisite to church renewal:  “Obey, and you will be renewed.  It is as simple as that.”  He goes on to add, “I had rather, 10,000 times rather, incur the divine rebuke for error in method, or even in doctrine, in a task done in obedience to his command, than I would to hear Him say, ‘I told you to go and you never went.’”