The church of Ephesus.

The church of Ephesus.

This morning by the grace of God, we will be studying the message sent from Christ  to the first receipient of the message, which was the church at Ephesus..

Revelation  2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Then by extension to all Bible believing believers of all ages and you in particular, bought with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts  20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Revelation  13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Revelation  2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

  And then , the whole church of Christ till the end of the time.

Revelation  1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;  1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Seven signifying the totality of the churches..

Revelation  2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

THE TOPIC IS:. CHRIST’S CHURCH DEDICATED TO UPHOLDING THE DOCTRINES WITHOUT SUSTAINING THEIR FIRST LOVE..  

Revelation  2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;  2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.  2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.  2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

We will consider the study under three subtopics:

1.  DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST AND HIS COMMENDATIONS .

2.  THE ENVIABLE TIRELESS LABOR OF THE CHURCH , WHILE ABIDING BY THE DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE.

3. CHRIST’S REPROVE OF THEIR LOST FIRST LOVE AND CALL TO REPENTANCE.

Now point 1.

1.  DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST AND HIS COMMENDATIONS .

Revelation  2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;  2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

Our Lord  sent the message to the angel of the church and

described Himself as  the one holding the seven stars and walking in the midst of the seven golden candle sticks.

Revelation  2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 

This introduction he had revealed to John before in  the previous chapter.

Revelation  1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,  1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.  1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;  1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

You discover three things from the introduction.

He sent the message to the angel of the church.

He was holding the seven stars in His right hand.

He was always walking in the midst of the seven golden candle sticks.

What are  the meaning of  all these?

1.

He sent the message to the angel of the church.

The angel of the church was the pastor or the leader of the church at Ephesus .

Angel meaning  Leadership of the Church.

King David was referred to as an angel of God.

2 Samuel  14:17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee. 

 14:20 To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

2 Samuel  19:27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of Go.d: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

1 Samuel  29:9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

Zechariah  12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

Angel in the new testament.

Acts  6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 

 6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.  

6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Pastors and leaders and workers in the church must behave as an angels 

Psalms  103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.  103:21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

They must be full of strength and be obedient to God in all things as the angels of God, used to do 

No.2

He was holding the seven stars in His right hand.

Understand, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Morning star.

Revelation  22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Who are  the stars Jesus was holding.

Pastors, leaders and workers in the churches  are stars.

You discover this both in the old and new testaments 

Genesis 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.  37:10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

Jacob said to Joseph, I am I and thy mother and your eleven brothers the stars coming to bow down for you.

You recount that the twelve children of Jacob were the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Listen to stars in the new testament, referring to church leaders.  Unfortunately these were false teachers.

Jude  1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.  1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;  1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Pastors, workers and the entire members of the church must shine as stars.

Why, because Jesus gave all of us a charge to be occupied till He comes.

Luke  19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

As stars we all have unique three callings.

Holy calling

High calling

Heavenly calling.

Holy calling.

2 Timothy 1:9

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

High calling

Philippians 3:14

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Heavenly calling

Hebrews  3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Pause beloved brethren, are you fulfilling your calling as one of the stars in the hands of Jesus?

Are you shinning as a star? Are you daily walking in biblical holiness and righteousness lifestyle?

Are you pressing forward for the high calling of partaking in the imminent rapture?

Listen to what the blessed Holy Spirit is saying to you in particular.

2 Corinthians  6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2 Corinthians  7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Come out from the midst of the world and shine as a star to fulfil your ministry till Christ comes.   The good Lord shall help you in particular in Jesus name.

3.  He was always walking in the midst of the seven golden candle sticks.

Our Lord though in heaven is always walking in the midst of His church.

The church of Christ are precious and bought with His blood.

Acts  20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

1 Corinthians  6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Listen to the following and see our Lord, where He has always 

being.

Matthew  18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew  28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Psalms  18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

Jesus is holding all the ministers and members of His church, obedient to His charge 

Isaiah  41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.  41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.  41:15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.  41:16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Ministers and members of the church must come out of the world.   Heed the Call to a lifestyle of biblical Holiness and righteousness on a daily basis. 

We come to point 2.

2.  THE ENVIABLE TIRELESS LABOR OF THE CHURCH , WHILE ABIDING BY THE DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE.

Revelation   2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 

 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.  

You discover this church was labouring for Christ tirelessly and were not fainting.

Revelation  2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

1.  They were not labouring for transient things 

John  6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

1 Thessalonians  1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

In addition it was a labor of love.

Hebrews  6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.  6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:  6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

It was a tireless labour.

Acts 20:35

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

1 Corinthians 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Yet they were not fainting,  why?

2 Corinthians  4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;  

4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

They were also patience in service and in suffering.

Patient in service.

2 Timothy  2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Patient in suffering.

Revelation  2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

This church was very  sound doctrinally.

They  declined false teachers to join them.

They were intolerant with false teachers.  They hated what Christ hated.

Revelation  2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  

2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

FaLse teachers must never be entertained, nor tolerated  but be resisted to avoid missing heaven. 

The Bible says false teachers are real 

2 Corinthians  11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

2 Peter  2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

You must rebuke and avoid them according to the Bible.

Ephesians  5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.  5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

Romans  16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

2 John  1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.  1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.  1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:  1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Please examine yourself, how do you compare with this church?

Are you rendering tireless labour of Love for Jesus?

Are you patience in service and patience in suffering?

Are you sound doctrinally and avoiding false teachers!?

Revelation  2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.  

2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation  13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

The good Lord shall help you in particular in Jesus name.

Point 3.

3. CHRIST’S REPROVE OF THEIR LOST FIRST LOVE AND CALL TO REPENTANCE.

Reprove of lost  of first  love and call to repentance 

Revelation  2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

What is the meaning of this?

Jeremiah  2:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  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.  2:3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. 

While labouring for the Lord, biblical holiness and sanctification has become history to them 

1 Timothy 5:12

Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

NO more fellowship and wholehearted trust for Jesus Christ again.

2 Chronicles 17:3

And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

They were not walking in their first way to the Lord,  when they abhor any little sin 

Isaiah  66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.  66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

Our Lord wanted their first love, because He started the love and loveth the church to the end 

John  15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

1 John  4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Revelation  1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,  1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

He loves to the end.

John  13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

HIs greatest commandment to the church is loving one another as He loved us.

John  15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

1 Peter  1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Love is the greatest commandment in the Bible.

Matthew  22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  22:38 This is the first and great commandment.  22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

He warned that many shall loose this love at the end of time.

Matthew  24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Love,  Biblical love is the only thing, God is looking for from all  Bible believing believers.

1 Corinthians  13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Examine yourself, do you still have your first love for Jesus, if you do keep it.

If you don’t repent.

Revelation  2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

EPHESUS DID NOT HEED THIS

CALL AND THEIR CANDLE STICK WAS REMOVED. 

Your name shall not be removed from the book of life in Jesus name.

Let us pray