Hello Friends!
Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through “Revelation:
Jesus Speaks to His Church!”
Revelation:
Jesus Speaks to His Church! (Chapter 2:1-7)
This week we will begin
our reading of verses 1-7 in chapter 2 of
Revelation where Jesus Speaks to the Church of Ephesus…
The
opening “vision” given to the Apostle
John of which we considered in our previous study is an amazing portrait of “Jesus Christ” moving in and among
His “church” body. John hears a “voice” and sees “seven
golden candlesticks“ of which represent the “seven churches” of God. There are also “seven stars” in the “right
hand” of the Lord representing the “seven
angels” (pastors) of whom are being addressed by Jesus Himself.
It is from these “visions” of which John
records throughout this – Revelation!
John
then copies
this initial “letter” by hand six
more times and personally delivers one to each
of the pastors to take back to their respective “churches” in Asia Minor. These important “letters” are representative of the “churches” throughout ALL
of “Christian” history. Some of these “churches” are “theologically”
sound
and “doctrinally” faithful. However,
the majority
of them are a manic mixture of both “good”
& “evil” and as we move beyond
the “church” in “Ephesus,”
we will find that they definitely degrade deeply– And get much worse!
As
we join the Apostle John on this “justification”
journey, it begins with this initial “letter”
from Jesus Christ and contains both a commendation
and a condemnation for “us” to seriously consider today.
Therefore, let’s begin by reading about the FIRST
“church” in the opening of chapter 2 ~
The “Ephesus” fellowship:
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 – Revelation
2:1-3
Who is this speaking? It is none other than the “Lord” Jesus Christ, the “Son of man” pictured in John’s “vision” previously detailed in chapter 1 speaking here! The “church” at “Ephesus”
was spiritually
strong and well founded. It was “taught” by the best possible leaders,
preachers
and teachers.
This is indeed a “church” to be commended!
These were true “brethren” who toiled in “patience” for the sake of the “Kingdom” and “Gospel”
of Jesus Christ. They were neither lazy nor indifferent but rather,
“laboured” for the “Lord”
and were giving Him everything they had! There was also no toleration for
“sin” and they “tried”
all the false self-professing “apostles”
and “found” them to be “liars”
according to God’s Word. These dedicated “saints”
were quite unlike most people who simply attend a “church” looking only to be entertained
– But want no part of the planning or cultivation!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: From a religious
standpoint, the city of “Ephesus”
was the center of worship to the pagan deities Artemis &
Diana. One of the evil characteristics of ancient paganism is that
it had lost its distinction between the genders. Sound
familiar? That’s certainly nothing
new! In fact, the worst criminals in the known world found safety in the
city of “Ephesus” of which only led
to a deep “debauchery” that defied
description. And huddled in the middle of this city of “sin”
was a dedicated group of true “Christians”
who were “faithfully” proclaiming the
“Gospel” of Jesus Christ. And in spite of
this wicked
environment, some of the greatest victories of God’s grace were won
in this “wicked” city! And amazingly,
their “preaching” had also negatively
affected the “worship” of the false “idols” in “Ephesus”
causing – The sale of pagan relics to seriously
diminish!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: As detailed in the
book of Acts chapter 18, the “church” in “Corinth”
was most likely founded by a “Jew”
named “Aquila” from “Italy” and his wife “Priscilla”
of whom were personally “trained”
by the “Apostle Paul” himself:
After these things Paul
departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; and found a certain Jew named
Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla;
(because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came
unto them – Acts 18:1-2
Later,
a “certain Jew” from “Alexandria” by the name of “Apollos” of whom was “mighty
in the Scriptures” had been greatly influenced by “Aquila” and “Priscilla”
for the Lord:
And a
certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in
the scriptures, came to Ephesus – Acts
18:24
When
this “eloquent man”
who was “fervent in the spirit” and well
“instructed” in the “way”
and “things of the Lord” according to the Old
Testament had later arrived in “Ephesus,”
he “taught diligently” as he spoke “boldly in the synagogue” according to
God’s Word. However, “Apollos”
only “knew” about the “baptism” of “John”
the Baptist. Therefore, when “Aquila”
and “Priscilla” had “heard”
him “speak,” they further “expounded”
to him “the way of God more perfectly”
according to God’s Will:
This man was instructed in the
way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught
diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he
began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had
heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more
perfectly – Acts 18:25-26
This
“Apollos” had “heard”
and “believed” the “Gospel”
and was “baptized” into the “Holy Ghost” unto “salvation”
in “Jesus Christ” eternally – Saved by God’s Grace!
Then
as detailed in the book of Acts chapter 19,
another “certain” group of “disciples” of “John’s
baptism” unto “repentance”
were encountered by “Paul”
in “Ephesus” as he “passed
through the upper coasts” from his third
missionary journey:
And it came to pass, that,
while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came
to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, Have ye received
the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much
as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then
were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism – Acts
19:1-3
In
“finding” these men, Paul clarified
the “Gospel” for them. How?
They were to “believe” by “repentance” unto “salvation”
and be “baptized” in the “name” of the “Lord
Jesus” and in so dong, they would “received”
the “Holy Ghost” when “Paul
had laid his hands upon them”:
Then said Paul, John verily
baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they
should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And
when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they
spake with tongues, and prophesied – Acts 19:4-6
Within
this uniquely
amazing scene, these “twelve”
Old Testament “disciples” then “spake with tongues” and “prophesied” as they were added
to God’s family – The early church was growing!
And
for all intents and purposes, “Ephesus”
was a great “church” to be sure. However,
Jesus moves from the commendation
to the condemnation:
Nevertheless I have somewhat
against thee, because thou hast left thy first love – Revelation
2:4
What does Jesus mean? The early days of hot hearts, passionate
labor and a sincere devotion to Jesus
Christ was becoming replaced by a kind of dutiful “doctrinal” coldness and a subtle
“spiritual” apathy. The
honeymoon was over and the heat of that “first love”
was gone! In other words, Jesus says to the “church”
in “Ephesus”: You attend “church,”
you “work” for Me, you “give”
to Me, you “sing” songs and you still “believe” in “Me”
and you still hold to My “truth”
– But you don’t LOVE Me like you ONCE did!
POIGNANT POINT: This scenario is a dire concern
for ALL of “us”
to consider today. When the “heart”
grows COLD, we’re in grave danger! We’re
very much like the “church” at “Ephesus” in that we work hard, persevere,
endure,
know
the truth, have discernment, hate
sin and expose error. However, if we’re not mindful, we too
are quite capable of leaving our “first love”
for Jesus Christ. This fallen and “sinful”
state of the “heart” is very dangerous
and represents the sequence of regression from “Ephesus” to “Pergamos”
to “Thyatira” to “Sardis”
to “Laodicea” eventually becoming a “church” the Lord Jesus Christ – Spits out of His mouth!
Therefore,
the Lord Jesus addresses this very critical point with a call to
“repentance” towards Him:
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 – Revelation 2:5
We
must start by “remembering” by going back to
how it was when we were first converted
and “saved” by “grace”
through faith” in Jesus Christ. He then
says to start from where you have “fallen”
away from Jesus Christ and “repent”
by doing the “first works” in Him – Remember and Repent!
What’s the danger? Jesus warns us that He will “quickly” and swiftly “remove
thy candlestick” if we don’t! In other words, Jesus Christ will shut
down the “church”
Himself… And it will NOT
be a happy time! Did that happen? Yes it did!
And there’s absolutely no “church”
in “Ephesus” today. Therefore, we must “repent” of any methodical and mechanical
service to Jesus Christ and do the “first
works” that we did at the very beginning of our “salvation” in Him – Go back
and start again!
To
their credit, the “church” in “Ephesus” indeed did “hatest”
the “deeds of the Nicolaitanes” and this pleased the Lord:
But this thou hast, that thou
hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate – Revelation
2:6
Who were the Nicolaitanes? The “Nicolaitanes”
were a heretical group in the first century of whom we’ll see
mentioned again later in this chapter. Some historians say these
people were characterized by extreme indulgence and uncleanness.
This was evidently a rank heresy that was
developed by a man by the name of “Nicolas,”
but we don’t know for sure who he was. Sadly, this movement eventually
developed into a false cult or sect of which – Jesus Christ hates!
Finally,
Jesus provides some captivating counsel for us to heed:
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 –
Revelation 2:7
This
eternal encouragement transcends
the literal “church” in “Ephesus” at that
time in history. It encompasses ALL
of Jesus’ “churches” for ALL time. And Jesus provides a promise that we will find noted
throughout this study series made to those “believers”
who “overcometh” and will “eat”
from the “tree of life” in the “paradise of God” of which is fully revealed in chapters 21 & 22 none other than – Heaven itself!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: What is an overcomer? We’ll let the
Apostle John answer that very important question derived directly from his first epistle:
Who is
he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God? – 1 John 5:5
Incidentally,
we will also encounter the “overcomer”
of which is mentioned several times throughout this
excellent exposition. And if you are a faithful & true
“believer” in Jesus Christ and He decides
to put your “church” out of existence,
you may be inclined to conclude “I’m done and I’m doomed!” – But, wait… NO WAY!
Even
an unfaithful
“church” that has “left
its first love” can indeed contain truly “saved” souls… And to these true “believers” in Jesus Christ – He PROMISES eternal heaven!
In closing:
Where
does Biblical “discernment” come from? It
clearly comes from a “knowledge”
of God’s “Truth!” Therefore, the only
way we can “discern” error is to know
God’s “Truth” and there must
be “Truth” in order to “discern”
error! The “church.” in “Ephesus” was amazingly remarkable. They
were not “Biblical” by birth,
by atmosphere
or by osmosis! They were “Biblical”
because they were “taught“ seriously “sound doctrine” from the very beginning
of their “faith” journey with Jesus!
They were properly taught by “Aquila”
and “Priscilla.” Then they were further
taught by “Apollos”
from the Word of God. And they were thoroughly taught by “Timothy” and “Tychicus,”
the Apostles “Paul,” “John”
and the others. In fact, their “theology”
was so solid that they could literally measure anyone
against the “Truth”
of God and expose “error”
for His Names sake…. “Nevertheless”
John relays that they had “left”
their “first love” for Jesus Christ
– Let this NOT be said of us!
REAL
REFLECTIONS: What about
YOU?
Beloved, do you take seriously the “reading,”
“studying” and “obeying”
of the Scriptures? Sadly, “we”
may indeed “believe” the right
things about God, but are they as “precious”
to “us” as they once were when we
had burst forth from spiritual “darkness into
light” and having been delivered from “sin” and “death”
and “hell” itself? Have you grown COLD to
the “things” of God? If so, take heart! Jesus
says – Remember and Repent!
With
this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 1-7 of the second chapter of Revelation.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
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