This study was first taught on December 2, 2018

Topic: The Assessment of the Churches (2): The Church of Ephesus (Who is Your First Love?)

(use the audio to study)

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Background
In our introduction to “The Assessment of the Churches” last week, we noted four crucial things about the Lord’s assessment of the churches, as follows:
(1) Although each letter was specifically addressed to the messenger of each church, it was in fact, meant for both the messenger and the membership of each church.
(2) The message to each church was not meant to be a condemnation of the churches where applicable, but for their salvation, admonition, correction, edification, and comfort.
(3) Even though the message to each church was specifically for each church, yet it was also for the learning and edification of all churches every where in the world, and for all times (past, present, future); and this is where we, the church today, come in!
(4) Regardless of the Lord’s remark to each local church, and by implication to all churches everywhere, the Lord expects us to overcome what overcame others. And by ‘overcome’ we mean, ‘to have mastery over’, ‘to subdue’, ‘to conquer’, ‘to be victorious over’, and ‘not to be overwhelmed by the conditions, challenges, and circumstances that we each encounter’.

Therefore, we must each appreciate and receive the letters in totality, as the Lord’s message and assessment of us, today’s Christians and church leaders; and, learn and make amends where necessary, keep on doing what is right that we are doing, and overcome every obstacle standing in the path of our walk with God onto eternal life; so that we can obtain all the rewards He has promised us, may God help us all, Amen!

Scripture Text(s)
Revelation 2:1-7
As we read/hear the letter sent to the church of Ephesus, we find the Lord’s commendation of their works, and activities, and they are quite commendable—they couldn’t stand evil people, they have tested for fruit among those who say they are apostles and have found them to be liars, and they hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. Yet, the Lord finds just one fault, and this one fault is so crucial that He vowed to ‘de-church’ them if they don’t make amends, and this will form the thrust of our discussion today, as we look at …
First, we’ll look at some background information about the church of Ephesus, and then we’ll look at the one fault that the Lord finds, with a view to appreciating why this one fault is such a crucial thing.
Acts 19:1-41; 20:1, 17-38; 1 Timothy 1:1-7; 3:1ff; 6:6; 2 Timothy 2:2; 3:1-7, 15-17; 4:2-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4; Hebrews 6:10; Revelation 2:5a; John 3:16; Jeremiah 2:2-8, 23-28 (Living Bible); James 4:4; 1 Corinthians 13:7 (Living Bible); Matthew 6:24; John 6:29; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3; 3:13ff; Romans 13:8-10; Luke 10:25-27; Matthew 5:43-48; 1 John 4:20-21.

Conclusion
From our study today, we can see that although the church of Ephesus was doing works and labouring, yet it was lacking in love. Indeed, the Lord speaks of the church forsaking [her] first love. In this regard, we see that the Lord was speaking of spiritual adultery, disloyalty to Him, faithlessness (lack of, indeed, refusal to trust Him), and not standing for Him—that is, not standing for what we claim we believe. Furthermore, we have seen that without love for God, nothing we do on the earth counts for eternity, and our love for God must be with our entire being and must necessarily include our love for not just our Christian brothers, but also our enemies!

Thus, we must ask:
a) Are your works—your activities for God—out of faith?
b) Is your labour—your sacrifice, your giving, your acts of kindness, etc.—out of love for God?
c) Are you persevering in hope or have you fallen into depression?
d) Who is your first love? Is it money, wealth, health, church attendance, ministry title, etc.?
e) Are you ‘sleeping around’ with wood, stone, false prophets, churches, denominations, pastors, etc.?
f) What is your loyalty to God like? Is it undivided?
g) Is your faith in God absolute and resolute? Or are there doubts and fears?
h) Are life’s challenges overwhelming you so that you are falling into depression?
i) When last did you stand up for Jesus?
j) Are your good deeds selective—tribal, racial, denominational, condescending, etc.?
k) When last did you show the love of God to those who want you dead?
l) Where is your first love? Have you gone back to your vomit—sin, et al.?

LET US PRAY!!!

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