Revelation 2:1-7

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 lampstands: 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; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 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 lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
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
This morning Jesus is using the Holy Spirit to speak to us here in Harvester Cape Town too. What we can learn will require some reflection and introspection.

We are not talking about or preaching condemnation here. David said that it was better to fall in the hands of the Living God than into the hands of the people, because God is a righteous Judge and David knew that God loved Him and David knew that God knew that he loved God. Yes, David didn’t always get things right and sinned but He believed in a merciful God who would forgive him if he repented.

It is the year somewhere between 70-95 AD where Apostle John finds himself in the Spirit on the island of Patmos to the west of modern day Turkey. The Holy Spirit instructs him to write to the churches of the time.

First up is the church in Ephesus, a city on the western shores of Turkey.
• Paul first visited Ephesus in AD 55 (Acts 18) and he ministered there for 2 years (Acts 19:8-10). In that period a very strong relationship developed as we can read in his farewell (Acts 20:17-38)
• Paul writes a letter to them in Ad 60-61 (Book of Ephesians).

He who walks in the midst of the lampstands
It is Jesus himself, as the Head of the church who is walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands – the seven churches.

For what purpose? Jesus loves His Ephesian church and His purpose is to perfect His bride in love. In Ephesians 5:26-27 we read, ‘that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.’

What does Jesus find?
Positives of Ephesian church
• Their works they have laboured for Jesus’s sake and have not become weary.
• They have persevered and remained patient.
• They cannot bear those who are evil.
• They have rejected false apostles by testing those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars.
• They hate the deeds of Nicolaitans who wanted to rule the church and introduce doctrines that would allow for sexual immorality.

Negatives of Ephesian church
• The have left their first love.

Jesus instructs His church in Ephesus
• Repent
• Return to your first works.

Jesus explains the reward vs punishment relating to their repentance.
• Remove the lampstand
• Tree of Life

First love and first works
In Acts 19 we see Paul at Ephesus:
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

Here we see their first love revealed:
o Water Baptism: Associating themselves with the death and new life in Jesus – putting off the old and putting on the new man in Christ.
o Being baptised in the Holy Spirit and being able to speak in tongues and prophesy – operating in the power of the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Jesus).

8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

o The importance of teaching what God has revealed to us corporately and as individuals.

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, [ “We [b]exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, ]overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totalled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

o Signs and wonders follow the apostle and where the church is established and Jesus is magnified. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, ‘And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.’
o At the name of Jesus other gods and idols fall.

Paul’s warning and farewell to Ephesians
In Acts (Acts 20:17-36) we read:
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
o Jesus purchased the church in His own blood.
o The Holy Spirit has made them overseers.
o Savage wolves will come. (Prophesy fulfilled when Nicolaitans and false apostles appeared)

Paul writes an apostolic epistle (Book of Ephesians) to remind them who their First Love Jesus is (approximately 5 years later)
o Jesus is the Redeemer (1:7)
o Jesus will consummate history (1:10)
o The church is Jesus expressed on earth (1:15:23)
o Peacemaker and has reconciled us with God (2:11-18)
o Chief Cornerstone of church – God dwell in His people (2:19-22)
o Treasure of unsearchable riches (3:18)
o Secures us in the love of God (3:17-19)
o Ministers gifts to the church to edify (4:11-16)
o Sets humankind free from hell (4:8-11)
o Model husband giving Himself to His bride – the church (5:25-27, 32)
o Source of strength in spiritual warfare (6:10)

But a generation later…..
o They must return to their first love
o Repent
o Do the first works

How is it possible this thriving church could have forgotten their First Love and stopped doing their first works?

One of the most profound teachings to help us understand the value of serving God with a pure and consecrated heart, can be found in the Three-Chair Principle that Bruce Wilkinson (founder of the Walk thru the Bible seminars) uses to explain the relationships that various Old Testament generations had with God.

• The First Chair
In Joshua 24:15 we read, ‘And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’

Here we see Joshua making a statement of renewed commitment to the Lord. The reason why he could make this statement was because of his established relationship with God.

He acknowledged that it was God who took him into the Promised Land, through the walls of Jericho, and let him take possession of the land. But more than this, He knew God out of a personal relationship having committed his life and heart to Him. He knew God intimately. There was sincerity; honesty and no compromise whatsoever. He was able to open his life to the eyes of God although God knew Joshua better than what he knew himself. There weren’t any dark corners hidden to God.

We find the same character in David. Although he sinned before God, we see honesty, remorse from deep within and shame. But it’s all displayed before God. Nothing was hidden. David knew God and knew that it’s better to fall into God’s hand than that of the people.

Moses is probably the best example of this. As we’ve seen in a previous class, his relationship with God was such that God mentioned him as being His friend.

• The Second Chair
In Joshua 24:31 we read, ‘Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the LORD which He had done for Israel.’

The somehow lacked the quality of relationship that Joshua had with God. generation after Joshua grew up in the knowledge of God, knowing His works, but

They looked at the Joshua’s generation and saw certain attributes that looked impressive. They tried to imitate these outward characteristics without finding the Source – God Himself. In so doing, they built cisterns that cannot hold water.

This is the origin of religion. In 2 Timothy 3:5 Paul describes religion as ‘having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!’ These are the people sitting in the second chair. They like to have positions where their good works can be seen to enhance the whole facade.

They are like Solomon who tried to serve God with half of his heart; the one part found delight in God, but the other desired the position of wealth delighting in the pleasures of the world.

Firstly, this delusion was obvious to God, and secondly, his children saw through his double standards and values and his right talk, but wrong actions. He compromised his relationship with God. He knew all the right answers, but somehow never completely committed to a walk in God’s ways.

Like the generation after Joshua, Solomon knew all the works of God. He had seen the results in his father’s life, but somehow never came to the same intimacy before God.

This lack of an intimate relationship results in the Third Chair.

• The Third Chair
In Judges 2:7 and 10 we read, ‘So the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD which He had done for Israel. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.’
The result is simple. This third generation doesn’t want to know God. They reject Him because the example of the generation before them was a delusion.

The people sitting in the third chair don’t like compromise. They seek truth but with solid results, with no facade allowed. The result is they don’t believe in God and even where some do, they don’t want to serve Him because the example that was set for them was filled with hypocrisy, lies and deceit.

The principle is clear: the only way to make a difference to this generation is through example – having a heart fully consecrated to Him.

This is also the main purpose of the Holy Spirit in the last days – drawing men and women near to the heart of God. This is the key towards the implementation of the final quest on earth, the winning of the lost souls before the arrival of Christ. The church has to stand up and get serious with God, serving Him with our whole heart so that His character and power can be established in our lives through the working of the Holy Spirit.

This will only happen if we reject our broken cisterns and return to the Lord.

Let our First Love create in us that what He wants to see
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in Ephesians 2:10, we read, ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.’

The Greek word for workmanship here is poema from whence we get the English word poem. We have been created for good works. Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith views me as a poem that He is writing and will send into the world to reflect His glory.

• What we doing to assist Jesus and the Holy Spirit in this writing process?
• What are we doing to hamper this process e.g. are we anxious and jumping around or are we at rest? It’s difficult to write a poem if the paper that it is being written on keep moving around!
• What is blocking our relationship with the Lord – self-seeking, sin, unforgiveness, offence?

Let’s return to our First Love and repent so that we can have communion with our Lord forever.