JOURNEY THROUGH REVELATIONS - Chapter 2:1-7
One scholar says that each church has its “own spiritual characteristic”.
He also names the church at Ephesus as a “careless Church”.
Verse 1 “To the angel (messenger) of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of HIM (Jesus) who holds the seven stars in HIS right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. (Continuation of Chapter 1)
This message to the Church at Ephesus is directly from Lord Jesus Christ.
2. I (Jesus) 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.
One scholar puts it this way:
“I know your deeds” – Is a ‘serving church’
“Your hard work” – Is a ‘sacrificing church’
“Your perseverance” – Is a ‘steadfast church’
“I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people” – Is a ‘separated church’
3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
The Lord was commending them for their hard work amongst the people of Ephesus.
They were surrounded by extreme pagan culture and practices.
4. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Lord Jesus sees the heart of the people in the Church.
“I hold this against you” is a very strong word to tell anybody.
Lord was simply saying that “You don’t love ME anymore”.
The church is going thru motions of Christianity but out of love for the Lord.
Love for the Lord is the strong force to hang on in all adverse situations.
It is true that many suffer for Him, serve Him faithfully and sacrifice their time, talent and treasure without real love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
‘Fallen’ refers to a state of spiritual decline.
A. To remember: The first love for the Lord when accepted HIM as Lord and Savior.
B. To repent: To seek forgiveness from the Lord for the sin of neglect.
Neglect is number one cause for losing the love for the Lord.
C. To return: To restore our fellowship with HIM and our love for the Lord.
6. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
The Lord says one thing in their favor that the church at Ephesus did not follow the practices of such people called ‘Nicolaitans’.
Nicolaitans means to conquer the people by “misusing and misapplying the Scriptures”.
Using the unbiblical ways to do the ministry
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.
The Lord was talking to individuals to be attentive and vigilant what the Holy Spirit says.
To those people who come out victorious in their life time with testimony of the Lord, having a deeper understanding of HIS love in their hearts, will receive the ultimate prize, the eternity with Lord Jesus.
SUMMARY
Church at Ephesus was a ‘serving church’; a ‘sacrificing church’; a ‘steadfast church’ and a ‘separated church’.
Lord Jesus was commending them for their hard work amongst the people of Ephesus surrounded by extreme pagan culture and practices.
Love for the Lord is the strong force to sustain us in this wicked world today.
Lord can see in our heart and knew that if we have lost our first love for HIM.
Neglect is number one cause for losing the love for the Lord.
The Lord was telling us to remember the first love we had for HIM, repent for the sins committed because of our negligence and to return to HIM with what we had in the beginning of our Christian experience.
Are we careless believers becoming a careless church due to negligence and lack of love for Lord Jesus?
The question for us is “are we guilty of the same neglect” as an individual or as a church?
One scholar says that each church has its “own spiritual characteristic”.
He also names the church at Ephesus as a “careless Church”.
Verse 1 “To the angel (messenger) of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of HIM (Jesus) who holds the seven stars in HIS right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. (Continuation of Chapter 1)
This message to the Church at Ephesus is directly from Lord Jesus Christ.
2. I (Jesus) 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.
One scholar puts it this way:
“I know your deeds” – Is a ‘serving church’
“Your hard work” – Is a ‘sacrificing church’
“Your perseverance” – Is a ‘steadfast church’
“I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people” – Is a ‘separated church’
3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
The Lord was commending them for their hard work amongst the people of Ephesus.
They were surrounded by extreme pagan culture and practices.
4. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Lord Jesus sees the heart of the people in the Church.
“I hold this against you” is a very strong word to tell anybody.
Lord was simply saying that “You don’t love ME anymore”.
The church is going thru motions of Christianity but out of love for the Lord.
Love for the Lord is the strong force to hang on in all adverse situations.
It is true that many suffer for Him, serve Him faithfully and sacrifice their time, talent and treasure without real love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
‘Fallen’ refers to a state of spiritual decline.
A. To remember: The first love for the Lord when accepted HIM as Lord and Savior.
B. To repent: To seek forgiveness from the Lord for the sin of neglect.
Neglect is number one cause for losing the love for the Lord.
C. To return: To restore our fellowship with HIM and our love for the Lord.
6. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
The Lord says one thing in their favor that the church at Ephesus did not follow the practices of such people called ‘Nicolaitans’.
Nicolaitans means to conquer the people by “misusing and misapplying the Scriptures”.
Using the unbiblical ways to do the ministry
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.
The Lord was talking to individuals to be attentive and vigilant what the Holy Spirit says.
To those people who come out victorious in their life time with testimony of the Lord, having a deeper understanding of HIS love in their hearts, will receive the ultimate prize, the eternity with Lord Jesus.
SUMMARY
Church at Ephesus was a ‘serving church’; a ‘sacrificing church’; a ‘steadfast church’ and a ‘separated church’.
Lord Jesus was commending them for their hard work amongst the people of Ephesus surrounded by extreme pagan culture and practices.
Love for the Lord is the strong force to sustain us in this wicked world today.
Lord can see in our heart and knew that if we have lost our first love for HIM.
Neglect is number one cause for losing the love for the Lord.
The Lord was telling us to remember the first love we had for HIM, repent for the sins committed because of our negligence and to return to HIM with what we had in the beginning of our Christian experience.
Are we careless believers becoming a careless church due to negligence and lack of love for Lord Jesus?
The question for us is “are we guilty of the same neglect” as an individual or as a church?
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