TIME FOR A SPIRITUAL CHECK UP: HAVE YOU LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE? LESSON 1:The Message To the Leader of the Church of Ephesus Text: Revelation 2:1- 7 Presenter: Esther Olivier February 8th 2015

SCRIPTURE READING Revelation 2:1-7 Vs.1 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, “These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands: Vs. 2 “I know your works, your labour, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars.

Vs.3 “and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for my name’s sake and have not become weary. Vs. 4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Vs.5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place - unless you repent.” Vs.6 “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I hate.” Vs.7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

INTRODUCTION When was the last time that you had a spiritual check up? Do you know if your heart is still focused on knowing Christ and His word as when you first believed and was baptized in water and filled with the Holy Spirit? When last did you spend quality time with the Lord Jesus Christ just meditating on His word and talking to Him in prayer, just for the joy of being in His presence, wanting nothing from Him?

Background: In the book of Revelation 1: 4-20 we have the background to this message to the church at Ephesus. This message was given by Jesus Christ to John, the apostle while he was banished on the island of Patmos for the word of God. The message was given to him for the head elder/bishop of the seven local churches in Asia. In vs. 16 Jesus Christ is holding the seven representatives of the seven churches in His right hand. Jesus Christ was speaking and His words were like a sharp two-edged sword, cutting asunder what is of the flesh and what is of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12 states “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Vs 13 “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” This is the vision that John saw of Jesus: He had the leaders of the seven churches of Asia in the palm of His right. These churches represent the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world. The message therefore can be applied to all of us. For we are the church.

We cannot hide from God. The word of God would expose us for who we are. Trying to hide from God is useless. It is better for us to be honest before God. He already knows all our deep secrets. When we begin to see the glory of God, like the apostle John, we cannot help but fall on our face before Him. The message was sent to the leaders of the seven churches because they had the authority to do something about it. They had the authority to acknowledge that the message was from God and call the people to repentance, making the necessary changes. However, the message is also individual, for it states “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” In Christ we are all responsible for our own salvation. Phillippians 2: 12 says “....work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS: YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE. The City of Ephesus Ephesus was an ancient Greek city on the west coast of Asia Minor, the riches in Ionia. Paul, the apostle, visited Ephesus (55-58) when the Artemis cult flourished, and the church he founded there prospered. Ephesus was some three hundred miles from Corinth. When Paul laboured in Ephesus it was the great commercial center of western Asia Minor. Ephesus prided herself on being the commercial and religious metropolis of the Roman province of Asia. The chief glory of Ephesus and its top attraction was its magnificent temple, dedicated to its patron goddess, called by the Greeks , ‘Artemis’ and by the Romans, ‘Diana’. Ephesus also had the largest Greek theater in Asia Minor. The practice of magic was intimately related to the worship of Artemis.

The Church at Ephesus It was against this culture and background that the Church at Ephesus was born. There appeared to have been a group of Christians in Ephesus before Paul’s visit. (Acts 2:9; 18:18-27). The Church however only began to develop its definite organizational beginnings with the ministry of Paul in Ephesus. Acts 19:9 The gospel ministry in Ephesus made a profound impression on the city and reached into various parts of the province. Acts 19:10.

Great opposition caused Paul eventually to leave the city after almost three years of ministry there. Acts 20:31 Paul did not return to the city until after his release from his first imprisonment in Rome. 1 Timothy 1:3 Upon Paul’s departure the church was left under the supervision of its own elders. Acts 20:17 After Paul’s release he visited the church again and left Timothy in charge of the supervision of the work. 1Timothy 1:18; 1;3 It is believed that the apostle John in his later years took up residence at Ephesus and spent the remaining years of his life supervising the work of the gospel in Asia. However, with the decay of the city of Ephesus the church also declined. Ultimately the “candlestick” was removed out of its place. (Revelation 2:5), and spiritual darkness over the place of former enlightenment. The church did not take heed to the warning of God. We do not want to find ourselves as believers in a similar condition.

Characteristics of the church at Ephesus at the time of Christ’s message They were a hard working people who laboured tirelessly in the work of the Lord. They had great patience. They hated evil and could not bear those who were evil. They were not gullible or easily fooled. They were A discerning people. They had tested those who claimed to be apostles and were able to accurately identify that they were false apostles. These apostles were not called by God but were self and man appointed. They persevered even in times of difficulties and persecutions. They remained faithful. They did not become weary and give up the work of the Lord. They hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans which also God hated. (Followers of Nicholas a heretic)

The Church at Ephesus had left their first love The church at Ephesus had such wonderful characteristics but Christ had something against them. – They had left their first love – Jesus Christ. Psalms 37:4 says “Delight yourself also in the Lord,......” They had forgotten the reason for it all –Jesus Christ. Doing ministry and sound doctrine had replaced the place of Jesus Christ in their lives. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Nothing is to come between us and our Lord Jesus Christ. The church at Ephesus needed to remember from where they began to drift away from their first love and repent. God always gives us an opportunity to repent first.

Have you left your first love? What are some of the signs to look for? SIGNS THAT YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE: The church at Ephesus had allowed their works to come between themselves and their love for Christ. Have you? They had lost sight of the reason for the hard labouring in the work of the Lord. What about you? They prided themselves in their work and steadfastness in doing the work of the Lord, but had forgotten who they were doing it for. Is this you? Can you identify? The work became their goal. Their accomplishments for the Lord was of utmost importance. It had replaced Christ on the throne of their hearts. Who or what is ruling your heart? Who or what is on the throne? Is it how good you lead worship, pray, sing, or how often you attend church or how much you give to the work of God? What has replaced Christ in your life?

Some more indicators We no longer love to read and meditate in the word of God. The psalmist David said in Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. (see also: Psalm 119:140 “your word is very pure; therefore your servant loves it.”) 2. We no longer spend private time in prayer, talking to God and listening to hear his voice. We have now become too busy for Him. Psalm 5:3 the psalmist David says “ my voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to you, And I will look up.” (see also Psalms 55:17) 3. We have lost our joy in worship and singing praises from the heart to Our Lord and Saviour. It is now just something that we do on Sunday at church. (Psalm 29:2; 95:6-7; 99:9)

4. We do not enjoy coming to church and fellowshipping with other believers. This has now become a task because it is our Christian duty and the pastor expects it. In psalms 122:1, the psalmist David said “I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” 5.