Revelation The Letter to Ephesus Chapter 2:1-7 I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN EXPRESSING MY CONCERN over the misuse of scripture to support positions that are inconsistent with God s intent. But there is another major problem I see with the teaching of His Word. And unfortunately this problem exists in many sound churches. This is a limited teaching of the Bible. In the most extreme situation, some churches act as if the Bible starts with the book of Matthew. While they may use the psalms, and certainly proverbs to teach wives and children how to behave, the rest of the Old Testament might not as well exist. Other groups don t even seem to notice sections of the New Testament. Some seem to think that there are only the Gospels and Acts. Others may through in the epistles, but ignore Romans or Hebrews. God gave the entire Bible and it is impossible to fully understand Him as He chooses to reveal Himself to us with out having an adequate knowledge of the entire book. The Bible is made up of sixty-six books all of which are important to an understanding of the whole. And as already noted one of the most neglected books in many churches is the book of Revelation. Within the contemporary evangelical church most of the emphasis on the word is focused on the New Testament. Considerable time is spent on the life and teachings of Christ, teachings which were given to His own people, but applicable to us. The balance of study is given over to the acts and writings of His followers. Their writings are directed to the church, us. What is remarkable is that the Epistles of Christ His own words to the church are virtually ignored. The epistles are the letters to the seven churches and are found in the book of Revelation. I suspect that their presence in Revelation, a book much of the clergy fears, is the reason they tend to be over looked. V The Letters to the Seven Churches Chapters 2-3 A. Introduction to the Letters B. The Letter to Ephesus Verses 9 20 1. Introduction 2. Analysis A. Introduction to the Letters: The most obvious question when examining this material is: Why did Christ choose to write to seven letters. Dr. Willmington points out that during this period, 95-100 AD there were as many as 100 separate churches. 1 Consequently, these 1 Willmington, Dr. H. L., Willmington s Guide to the Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, 1981, p. 540.
specific churches were chosen to be typical and representative of all local churches. They were picked for the following reasons: 1. The letters did go to specific churches. They spoke to specific needs of those bodies. 2. Seven is the number of completeness. As such general principles are present which can be applied to the churches of all ages. 3. As is true with all Scripture these same principles can and should be applied to the lives of each believer. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Revelation 2:7 ESV). Remember these letters represent the only words actually dictated directly by Christ. The very fact that many of the problems noted here are so rampant within the church today is due to the neglecting of what Christ presents here. Another factor in the choosing of these specific churches is their geographical location. They formed an arch located on a circular road connecting the most populous part of Asia Minor. This formed the main postal route. By choosing these specific churches it would have allowed the letters to be received throughout the region. 2 Additionally, a number of scholars believe that the listing is also a pattern for the church age. It moves from the faithful apostolic baby church to the final apostate church of the last days. One listing is as follows: 1. Ephesus ( 30-300 AD) The Apostolic Church 2 Smyrna ( 100-313 AD) The Martyr Church 3. Pergamum ( 314-590 AD) The Compromising Church 4. Thyatira ( 590-1517 AD) The Roman Catholic Church 5. Sardis (1517-1700 AD) The Reformation Church 6. Philadelphia (1700-1900 AD) The Revival Church 7. Laodicea (1900-Rapture) The Worldly Church 3 This simply represents one approach to seeing these churches as typical. While there may be some truth to this pattern, as a generalization, it is important to recognize that in any age, any church may be found to follow any pattern. Some of the problems and strength of each church maybe found in any one specific church. This approach of Willmington makes me uncomfortable. To tie this pattern to such specific time frames is stretching it from my perspective. Clearly though the history of the church is one of progressive deterioration ending with the apostasy of the tribulation period. 2 Walvoord, John F., The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Moody Press, Chicago, IL, 1966, p. 51. 3 Willmington, p. 541. ) 50 (
B. The Letter to Ephesus: 1. Introduction: These letters were dictated to John as part of his vision from God through the Holy Spirit recorded in the book of Revelation. I was in the Spirit on the Lord s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. (Revelation 1:10 11 ESV). This morning I want to examine the letter to the church at Ephesus. The name of the church Ephesus means desirable and as such is seen as either the Apostolic Church, or certainly a type of that church having it s characteristics. We will be using a specific pattern to examine these seven letters. a. How Christ is pictured: Christ is shown as the one holding the seven stars the messengers to the seven churches. He walks among the seven golden lampstands. Remember that we are seeing the Lord as High Priest and Judge over His churches. This concept is reinforced here as He is seen holding the churches with authority. And consequently they are also under his divine protection. As High Priest, he walks among the lampstands, watching and trimming them. He refers back to this imagery in verse 5 where He warns that He may remove their lampstand. Christ dictates this letter to the church at Ephesus from His role as head, the One Who controls the church. He speaks from a position of authority and judgment. The letter is directed to a representative a messenger possibly the pastor or maybe an angel. The text is not clear as to the individual that is the recipient. b. Background: The city of Ephesus, during the time of the early church, was one of the richest cities of the Roman Empire. It was a center of religion and commerce, often called the Vanity Fair of Asia. This was do to the presence of a large artificial harbor. From Acts 19 the account of Paul at Ephesus, we see that it was a center of Idolatry. There was found one of the seven wonders of the world, the Temple of Diana, the many breasted goddess of fertility. The temple was 418 x 240 feet with 100 external columns about 56 feet in height. It was earthquake proofed, being built on an artificial marsh. It was a beautiful city, but a center of paganism and materialism, much like this area a center of wisdom, government and pagan ignorance, government. c. Commendations: Good works, labor, patience, cannot bear those who are evil. The believers tested apostolic claims. They hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans. d. Condemnation: They left their first love. e. Counsel: Remember the height from which you have fallen. f. Challenge: To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. ) 51 (
2. Analysis: The letter is addressed to the messenger, be it angel or pastor. But, it is obvious that the comments are directed to the church to those that make it up. And just as the Lord holds secure the messengers of the church, He holds us as individuals also. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father s hand (John 10:28 29 ESV). Vs. 2-3, 6: The Lord starts out the letter by commending the believers for what they are doing correctly. This is a group of believers I don t think we d have any concern about patterning ourselves after. They are commended for 1.) The quality of their labor that is works. These were not the basis of their salvation. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8 10 ESV). Instead they are the product of salvation. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people (Titus 3:3, 8 ESV). This church realized that one purpose to which they were saved was to service. how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14 ESV). The believers carried out this work in its wearisome nature. This was difficult to do. The problem with much of the church today is it is unwilling to do the hard work of service. It is lazy. These believer carried out their service with patience and consistency. They endured hardships. The ministry was occurring in the midst of persecution. They carried out the works of the Lord in the midst of persecution. Remember the environment in which they worked was one where the Gospel certainly wasn t welcome. The pressure came from both inwardly and outwardly. It is important to remember that works service one all to be grounded in a desire to please the Lord The persecution came because of Christ and they are praised accordingly. The next quality which Christ commends is their biblical orthodoxy. They tested all those who came claiming to be from God showing intolerance with all false teaching. They were especially commended for their hatred of the deeds of the Nicolaitans. We are not sure who this group were, though speculation says that they either espoused the establishment of a dichotomy between clergy and laity. ) 52 (
More likely they were followers of Nicolous of Antioch. He was an apostate and formed the Antinomian Gnostic cult. This group taught that to understand sin one must sample it. They were sensualists. The issue here though is that Christ praised the believers for their hatred of the false teachings note, hatred of the deeds not to doers. Vs. 4: In spite of the quality of the life of these believes in both truth and deeds, Christ had a charge against them that was so serious that the failure to correct it could lead to the total loss of any effectiveness for Him. They had lost that first love they had had for the Lord that fervor that enthusiasm for Him. This isn t the love for His work, but for the Lord Himself. If they didn t remember that love and repent returning to it they would have become useless to Christ. They had become so active, so orthodox, so concerned with truth, that they had become cold. There isn t anything wrong with concern with orthodoxy. But there is something seriously wrong if the commitment to truth pushes out the command to love. A. J. Gordon puts it this way: Ecclesiastical corpses lie about us. The caskets in which they repose are lined with satin and are decorated with solid silver handles and abundant flowers. Like the other caskets they are just large enough for their occupants with no room for converts. These churches have died of respectability and have been embalmed in self-compliancy. If by the grace of God, this church is alive, be warned to our opportunity or the feet of them that buried thy sisters will be at the door. 4 Vs. 5: Now Christ exhorts them in relation to this failure. 1. They are called to remember. They should return their thoughts to the Lord, to their love of Him. 2. They are called to repentance. They should turn from their failure and 3. They are called to return to their love of the Lord and one another. They are called to be what they once where. The Lord gives each believer the opportunity to be what he should be. This means repentance, changing direction. If this church didn t do that it would loose it s lampstand, that is the opportunity to shine forth for Christ. Vs. 7: Christ has commended this church. He has also condemned certain failings. But all this is useless unless applied. The Holy Spirit takes the Lord s word and lays it on the hearts of the believers. And so the believer is given the promise of a place in the Kingdom. He will one day eat of the Tree of Life. The overcomer by definition is the believer. in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37 ESV). 4 Ibid. ) 53 (
If we are saved we are overcomers and the promises made to this church are made to us. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession (2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV). This can be seen most clearly though in 1 John For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4 5 ESV). The recipients of the letters, including us are to take heed to both the commendations and condemnations and to apply the truths to our lives. It is only by doing so that we can adequately serve as individuals and as a local body. Application: Today we live in an age when we belong to a church movement desiring to be typified by service to the Lord and orthodoxy of theology. We are waking up to the need of service to those within and without the body. After all the Lord was concerned with both the physical and spiritual needs of mankind. We are facing persecution even in this country ridicule and attacks by the courts. In many cases this is a direct result of holding to the truth of Scripture: Trying to stop abortion; putting Christ in first place above all things. We have also demonstrated a Biblical concern for the truth of Scripture. This is what the whole issue of inerrancy is about. This is why we have such an emphasis on the teaching of the word. So what is the problem? What is wrong with being right? What is wrong is that desire to be active, to be right can easily become positions for their own sake, not as it truly be out of love for the Lord. Well according to Dr. Anderson, the first century church didn t listen to Christ s words even through the permitted chastening of the second and third centuries, through persecution and martyrdom. Finally the church was dominated by clergy. During the Middle and Dark Ages laymen had almost nothing to do with religious things. As the first love was lost the church became simply one more political power. But it terms of serving God it became irrelevant. And as we look at the church today, considering the number of believers that are supposed to be living in this country, hasn t it become irrelevant to a great extant now? Christ s complaint, charge is that they have lost their first love, their love of Him. This is similar to Paul s concern; If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1 2 ESV). Paul took the concern one step further though by dealing with the spiritual gifts being carried out with love. ) 54 (
Jesus expresses the same need for love in John By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35 ESV). But before we can love one another we have to continue in that love of Christ that these believers were in danger of loosing. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:29 31 ESV). I think there is a direct relationship between these two loves. It is the lack of a vertical love towards Christ that leads to a lack of horizontal love towards others. The danger of this is that we end up as so many churches have, working and holding to truth, but cold and dead, no longer of any use to the Lord. The lampstand will be removed, the light and love of Christ no longer showing forth, no longer being able to serve. This is a true danger for us as individual believers and for us as a body. Do we still have the love of the Lord in us that is found in the new believer. If not then we must pray that the Holy Spirit will return it to us. We must meditate on the blessings we have received from God, first of all our salvation. If there are unbelievers here you haven t ever felt the you of this love. If there are believers here that have lost it look to your hearts. We cannot give to others what we don t experience ourselves. It was Christ s love lived out in front of the world that led people to Him. First, they were loved and then they were taught. Let us love the sinner that Christ died for. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16 17 ESV). Let us offer the gift of love and salvation, not condemnation. ) 55 (