Sermon by Samaroo Sookraj
SUB: HOW IS IT WITH YOU?
TEXT: Rev 2:1-5 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; 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: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 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.
INTRO:
1) This church at Ephesus was planted by the Apostle Paul. He had visited there on his 2nd and third miss journeys and had preached there for at least two years in the synagogues. He had made a lot of progress in bringing the people out of Diana worship unto worshiping the true God.
2) It is believed that the Revelation was written about 95AD and it was then that Jesus was placing a commendation and a condemnation upon that church.
3) The church at Ephesus to us would seem to be a vibrant, lively and progressing church yet there was one thing lacking in that church and that seems to be of utmost importance.
1. WE WILL LOOK AT THE COMMENDATION. Vss 2,3
A. They were commended for having works. GR. ergon... Strong says that it comes from the primary ergo which means to toil or labor.
(i) Toiling brings to mind difficult work.
(ii) They were literally taken up with the advancement of the Gospel.
(iii) Remember the city was still steeped in Diana worship and there must have been real resistance to their ministering.
(iv) It seems like there was no faltering on their part but constant toiling.
B. There were commended for laboring. Gr. Kopos... indicates toiling with the strength being reduced. Of this Gill says... “particularly the labor of ministers of the Gospel, in these times, in the frequent preaching of it, in season and out of season; and in the constant administration of the ordinances; and in the diligent exercise of church discipline...”
C. They were commended for being patient.Gr. Hoopomonay... Strong’s says of this that it means “endurance or constancy” which brings to mind their persistency in their ministering.
(i) It is somewhat like the missionary planting a church... toiling away, knocking on doors, being rebuffed and insulted sometimes but persistent in their ministering. Being faithful in their calling.
D. They were commended for their stand against evil. Barnes in his commentary said of this... Canst not “endure” or “tolerate” them. That is, they had no sympathy with their doctrines or their practices, they were utterly opposed to them. They had lent them no countenance, but had in every way shown that they had no fellowship with them. The evil persons here referred to were, doubtless, those mentioned in this verse as claiming that “they were apostles,” and those mentioned in Rev_2:6 as the Nicolaitanes.
(i) Today, many in churches are calling for tolerance with false prophets and “christian” denominations and all are wanting to get under one umbrella of Universal Christianity.
(ii) A stand has to be taken. The Christians at this church did that.
E. They were commended for testing the claims of those who claimed to be apostles and were not.
(i) This speaks highly of them. They were not willing to be conned.
(ii) The only way to test these “apostles” was through the Word; and while they may not have had as much as we have today, they used what they had to prevent error within the church.
F. He finally commended them for their endurance in everything because of the One by Whom they were called. Jesus Christ. “ Do not dishonor the family name of Christian”.
11. THE CONDEMNATION. Vs 4
A. “Nevertheless” Notwithstanding this general commendation, there is a thing which I cannot approve.
B. Thou has left thy first love. They have not maintained the ardor and devotion of the love of their earlier history. Nothing but the fervent love of the Bride can satisfy the Bridegroom. They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God and sacred things which they had when first brought to the knowledge of the truth, and justified by faith in Christ.
(i) They had left... They were too busy ... their focus was on work and not the Lord.
(ii) The love for Christ had taken a backseat to their laboring and while it may still have been there, it had become dormant.
(iii) This had made it a labor of duty rather than a labor of love... Jesus had asked Peter... “Do you love me?”
111. CONSTRUCTIVE ADVICE Vs 5.
A. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen...
Consider the state of grace in which you once stood; the happiness, love, and joy which you felt when ye received remission of sins; the zeal ye had for God’s glory and the salvation of mankind; your willing, obedient spirit, your cheerful self-denial, your fervor in private prayer, your detachment from the world, and your heavenly-mindedness. Fallen from all those blessed dispositions and gracious feelings already mentioned. Or, remember what a loss you have sustained;
B. Repent - he word used here means “to change one’s mind and purposes,” and, along with that, “to change one’s conduct or demeanor.” The duty of repentance here urged would extend to all the points in which they had erred.
(i) Be deeply humbled before God for having so carelessly guarded the Divine treasure.
(ii) Repent of their coldness and lukewarmness, of the remissness of their love, and of those evils which brought it upon them:
C. And do the first works - The works which were done when the church was first established. That is, manifest the zeal and love which were formerly evinced in opposing error, and in doing good.
(i) The difference was that the first work was motivated by love for their Savior.
D. Or else I will come unto thee quickly; The meaning is, that he would come as a Judge, at no distant period, to inflict punishment in the manner specified.
E. ... and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
(i) Barnes says of this... “The meaning is, that the church gave light in Ephesus; and that what he would do in regard to that place would be like removing a lamp, and leaving a place in darkness. The expression is equivalent to saying that the church there would cease to exist. The proper idea of the passage is, that the church would be wholly extinct; and it is observable that this is a judgment more distinctly disclosed in reference to this church than to any other of the seven churches.
There is not the least evidence that the church at Ephesus did repent, and the threatening has been most signally fulfilled. Long since the church has become utterly extinct, and for ages there was not a single professing Christian there. Every memorial of there having been a church there has departed, and there are nowhere, not even in Nineveh, Babylon, or Tyre, more affecting demonstrations of the fulfillment of ancient prophecy than in the present state of the ruins of Ephesus.”
Concl: 1) It is very possible for churches and individuals to become wrapped up in the work of the Lord rather than be wrapped up in the arms of the Lord.
2) Guard against it by keeping the line of communication between you and God open...
A. . Have the Lord speak to you everyday through His Word.
B. You speak to the Lord ever so often.
C. Speak for the Lord everyday... to someone.
