(7 Churches) Ephesus, Left First Love? — Mark Greening

Revelation’s Message to the Church at Ephesus

This morning when grant met me he reminded me. He said mark. Don't you forget you're speaking today? And grants concern for me reminded me of a story years ago I was asked to be a guest speaker at a church in Mississauga and as I drove into the parking lot I was stunned.

I thought this is revival. The parking lot was Jam-packed. Was hard for me to find a parking place. I thought the Lord has already gone before has answered my prayer that God would prepare hearts and bring those who were to come and hear the message.

And I walked in and I'm telling you there was just a Place to the back one place in the back where I could sit. The place was packed out. I was so excited I sat down only to hear the fellow at the front stand and pronounce the benediction.

It was daylight savings, and I was an hour late so It did my heart good to come in this morning and see the parking lot almost empty and to find a place to sit Where I normally sit. If God wanted me to do that he'd have to write it on a scroll and lower it down from heaven for me to read and So I've heard some people say in the past to me This morning.

I actually want to read from the scroll of the book of Revelation the John wrote. He did not receive a scroll from heaven rather. He was taken up by Jesus into heaven and Jesus said to him in verse 11 of chapter 1 which we'll read shortly.

Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches we will be reading through chapter 1 and into chapter 2 regarding the church of Ephesus this morning and In a real sense. This is a scroll that has come down to us from heaven.

It's a scroll with a message for each one of us here this morning and the Holy Spirit himself Says to us in chapter 2 verse 7 he says he who has an ear to hear. Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

John, the Apostle of Revelation

Now before we look at the message that God has for each one of us this morning I want to set the stage with some background on who John the author of Revelation was. John was one of Jesus's twelve disciples.

You remember Jesus had a nickname for them. They were the sons of thunder. And there was not a better example of that than when Jesus was on his way with his disciples down through Samaria Into Jerusalem and when the Samaritans heard that he was going to Jerusalem.

They were so offended and they wouldn't allow him to come through that town. And so I James and John said Lord let us call down fire from heaven on them. And Jesus had to rebuke them. They were sons of thunder according to tradition John was the only one of the twelve disciples.

Judas was replaced by Matthias. So there were twelve disciples. He's the only one that did not die a martyr's death and from all we can gather. He lived into his late 90s and some people even speculate to speculate into his early 100s.

It's estimated that somewhere between 60 AD and 70 AD John went to Ephesus with Mary Jesus's mother to settle there and to teach and to preach you remember Jesus from the cross. He looked down and at Mary and and he said to her woman behold your son pointing to John and to Johnny says and son behold your mother and John was Faithful to take care of Mary and he brought her down to Ephesus and that's where according to tradition She passed away in her old age.

The Apostle Paul had established the church in Ephesus around 60 AD on One of his missionary journeys and he spent three years there planning that church Discipling raising up leaders. It was the longest time that he spent in any one of the cities where he established a church and John lived there and he ended up preaching and teaching and discipling that church in Ephesus and One of the clearest evidences that John actually lived in Ephesus if people are wondering about that Comes from a quote from polycarp the polycarp is referred to as one of the early church fathers.

So after the disciples lived and the Apostles lived and died the first people who took over from their ministry They were called the early church fathers. So polycarp happened to be one of John's disciples.

So in Ephesus where John taught Polycarp was there as a young man and he would take him out to Tim Hortons and he would do Bible studies with them and He would mentor and disciple polycarp. And so polycarp became a great Expositor of the truth a defender of the faith.

But anyways one day polycarp was relating to Irenaeus who also became an early church father who wrote this down and Irenaeus Wrote down what a polycarp said about John in the city of Ephesus and I quote a polycarp said this John the disciple of the Lord going to bathe at Ephesus and perceiving Corinthians within by the way Corinthians was a false prophet a false teacher and John had nothing to do with him and the church avoided him like the plague and So polycarp said and and John perceiving Corinthians within rushed out of the bathhouse without bathing.

Exclaiming let us fly lest even the bathhouse fall down because Corinthians the enemy of the truth is within. So once a son of thunder always a son of thunder. He was always fiery like that and that is how we know that John for sure preached in Ephesus apart from tradition we have polycarp statement.

Ephesus: A Pagan City and the Exile of John

But Ephesus was the capital of that province in the Roman Empire. It was a key trading center. It was a famous seaport. It was a wealthy cosmopolitan city but it was one of the most pagan places in the world as a matter of fact the temple of Diana was there quite a large temple and one of the most pagan hideous Idols of that time was there given a central place in the temple.

It was the idol of Artemis who which allegedly came down from heaven actually in Acts 19 Paul refers to that legend. It's not true, but he talks to them about that and and anyway so here this idol of Artemis was there and people would go to to worship and and the city was it was corrupt a Lot of tourists came there because this was one of the seven wonders of the world although they didn't know it at the time, but it was a fabulous building when you look at the Drawings and the archaeological finds and they would come there to worship.

So it was filled with criminals scammers. Lots of prostitution, especially temple prostitution because that's how they worshiped their God. I think pastor Richard talked about this a few weeks ago now that was part of the pagan ritual with worship through prostitution and This is where the Church of Ephesus was and at that time Immorality was so rampant that it was not uncommon for men to have two or three Mistresses whom they housed in the same house as their wife and children.

That's how immoral the city was and of course the church's message of holiness and turning from Idolatry greed and immorality was not a popular one and so eventually a great persecution a few decades later broke out in the city of Ephesus and John was rounded up because he was one of the key figures there in Ephesus and they banished him to the Isle of Patmos.

Where he wrote the book of Revelation and he was banished around 90 AD. Now today you can still take tours if you want to go see where John allegedly wrote in that cave. They say they know where it is and they give tours and I don't know how much it cost.

But you can go there and see where it is and the rock that split that represents the Trinity. It's it's quite a thing that they they have going there in terms of those tours. But it's still there on the Isle of Patmos now if you could just put up the first verse.

That we'll read through. What I want to do is I want to read through and comment on these verses as I go. So verse 1 of Revelation. Chapter 1 we read the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants.

What must soon take place? He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John who testifies to everything He saw that is the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one verse 3 who reads the word of this prophecy and Blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it because the time is near so here we are only three verses deep into the book of Revelation and already we're being blessed by being here this morning and Jesus says that not only are we blessed but we will be blessed even more blessed having heard these words if we put Them into practice as God shows us.

What's in our hearts today? It's an important message verse 3 because what the time is near. Thank you worship team for choosing those songs. You didn't even know what I was going to be preaching on this morning, but the time is near.

Christ’s Imminent Return and the Modern World

Now I've had a lot of people tell me especially young people and young adults. They've told me this mark every Generation has believed that they are in the last days. And to a certain extent that's true.

But you know what when I was growing up as a teenager way back when when I back in the days before we had those dumb smartphones. You know, I mean back then you we'd have traveling preachers come in and people do conferences on prophecy that and you know.

What would they talk about the imminency of Christ's return and that is a wonderful doctrine in the New Testament. I I couldn't connect the dots. Because I couldn't understand how a one-world monetary system a one-world religion a one-world government this one-world mark number could be rolled out with the current infrastructure that we had in the 1970s and 1980s, I mean in 1980 computers were just starting to revolutionize the business world not even Personal life and the internet wasn't even usable to a large extent until 1990 when they started to come out with GUI interfaces and Netscape and all of that.

But today with what is called the IOT the Internet of Things. Everything is connected. I mean every computer and database basically in the world has access to its information and is shared. I mean you have Smart watches you've got smart devices.

You've got cars that can be driven and controlled. Even programmed in advance before you get in them by the end to over the Internet. You've got for goodness sakes. I was looking on the internet. I found a Smart crock pot.

Wi-Fi enabled an Internet of Things. I will crock pot. Why do you need to access your crock pot when you're at work on us? I mean, it's gone crazy. The whole world is connected and add to this the exponential growth of AI along with the destruction of all language barriers due to instantaneous translation software.

And we have achieved what the Lord warned about during the construction of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 116 where we read if as one people speaking the same language. They have begun to do this then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them and What was once impossible is now possible because there has been this technological breakdown.

Not only of the communication barrier, but also of the financial and governmental barriers that once divided us. Specifically since 2020 nations around the world including Canada itself have been slowly and surely been relinquishing their autonomy and Sovereignty to the UN the World Economic Forum and the World Health Organization to name a few.

Nothing is keeping the Lord from coming back today. Everything is now in place technologically Financially and governmentally for the new world order and the Antichrist system to begin. Verse 3 says the time is near.

Christ’s Love, the Church, and Spiritual Responsibility

Verse 4 John to the seven churches in the province of Asia, so Jesus wrote to seven churches, but this Scroll that he wrote this letter is an open letter to every church including CCF this morning. That's why after each commendation or exhortation to these seven churches He says he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Verse 4 grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits before his throne and from Jesus Christ. Who is the faithful witness the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth?

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. So, why do we need to read and listen to what is being said in Revelation this morning because Jesus loves us and everything we read in this Scroll of Revelation everything we read in the Bible is for our own good.

Verse 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve as God and father to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Look he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him. Even those who pierced him and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.

So shall it be amen. Verse 8 I am the Alpha and the Omega says the Lord God who was who is and who was and who is to come the Almighty. I John your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours and Jesus Was on the island of Patmos because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

On the Lord's Day, I was in the spirit and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet. Which said write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches to Ephesus Smyrna Pergamum Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea.

Now notice what Jesus is interested right now in this world. What's he interested in? He's not interested in the stock market. He's not interested in who's going to win the next election. He's not interested in who's going to win the The next pennant the Stanley Cup their great cup the Rose, but he's not interested in these things.

He's interested in the churches. We are the light of the world we are the salt of the earth we are his body. He is the head we are his hands and feet and whatever Jesus wants to accomplish in this world by and large He does through his church through us through his people.

And when people start maturing in Christ, they care about the church. They care about who's getting saved. Who's going to be getting baptized? Who's struggling financially. Who's lonely? Who's discouraged?

Who's in need of a ride to church? Who needs something done in their home who needs help with one of their children one of their erring children? Maybe there's some rebellion. Maybe there's a child a teenager going down a wrong path and we notice that and his husbands and wives or his friends.

We're willing to to jump into the fray and do something and help them out somehow. We ask ourselves who can I invite over for hospitality? Who can I take out for coffee? Jesus said in that we did these things for the least of these we did it for Christ.

That's why Jesus said one day he's going to separate the sheep from the goats and he'll say depart from me. I never knew you but we knew you Lord. He says yes, you knew me, but you never opened up your wallet.

You never opened up your heart. You never opened up your home and ministered to me. By loving those in the church you attended depart from me. I never knew you. Next slide verse 12. I Turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me.

And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man. Dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet with a golden sash around his chest. The last picture we have of Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation is that he's walking amongst the churches.

Now it's interesting. He doesn't talk about how big they were what their numbers their attendance were how many services they had. He doesn't talk about the style of their business their building that the style of their worship.

He doesn't talk about how many people sang whether one person led swing in his hand or whether there was a worship team up front. He didn't talk about whether or not they met in homes. What kind of lighting and instruments they had.

God doesn't look at numbers you see. Scripture says man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. Did you know that Jesus knows about CCF? He walks in our midst. He knows where you sit.

He knows what your favorite songs are. He knows how many cookies we're going to sneak at the back after. Next slide verse 14. His head and his hair were like white wool as white as snow and his eyes were like blazing fire.

His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters in his right hand. He held seven stars and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw him I fell at his feet though as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the living one. I was dead and behold I'm alive forever and ever and I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Write therefore what you have seen. What is now and what will take place later? The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

The stars in Jesus's hand are the angels in Greek. And so the seven church the seven messengers the seven angels are the pastors of those church the teaching elders of those church that's what they're referring to and These are letters that are encouraging to the pastors and then churches and some of the churches some of them are exhortational.

Truth Rather Than Tickle-the-Ears Christianity

But one thing we learn not only from this passage, but elsewhere. Especially the Gospels as well is that Jesus was not politically correct. He wasn't woke. He tells us not what we want to hear. He tells us what we need to hear and in Psalm 141 5 he says let a righteous man strike me.

It is a kindness now who's more righteous than Jesus and Can we take an exhortation from him if and when he gives it to us as we read or come to church Sunday by Sunday. You know, I've had to go. I've never been in more hospitals and doctors offices as this last year I was telling one doctor the last time I was in the hospital was when I got spanked when I was born.

That was it. I mean I have in 65 years. I've been my 66 year. I'm always there. I go to the doctor and they're looking at this eye that and by the way, thank you for praying for my eye every week. It's getting better.

I can actually read some of the words on the screen today. So God is answering for keep praying, but I'll go as a doc. What's with my eye every you'll say I want to tell you this. I you've got oh stop.

I don't want to hear about me. I want to hear about my left leg. Well, what's wrong with your left leg? Nothing. That's why I want to hear about it. Yeah, I want to hear good news today. I've heard bad news for a whole year about everything else every other part of my body.

I want a good no, we want to know what is the bad news if there is something to know. And a lot of churches these days want their ears tickled. They don't want real talk. That's why God doesn't care about numbers.

Some of the largest churches in North America right now are Apostate and they teach false doctrine Sunday after Sunday and people think they're great. They read their books. They buy their books and One church in particular and if I told you no, but it's I'm not telling tales at a school.

I don't have to name the name, but he preaches on and I heard him preach it this past week. He says we've unhitched the Old Testament from the New Testament. Why would they do that? Because in the Old Testament God is is portrayed as righteous and holy and just and he Punishes people and he shakes and bakes them sometimes because they're disobeying him.

And so we don't want to portray a God like that who wiped out Nations and that because they were so corrupted and and impure and the genetic line was even corrupted with with Demonic angels the Nephilim we don't want to hear about that stuff.

What we do want to hear about is everything in the New Testament where Jesus comes across very often as Loving and caring and merciful and forgiving and dying for our sins. But the problem is is that omitting to tell and speak of all of God's truth?

Including his holiness and his judgment and his justice and his righteousness as well as his love and mercy and grace. By omitting the hard things in the scripture. It is as bad as teaching false doctrine.

Jesus said that a little yeast leavens the whole lump and eventually a half-truth gospel puts congregations even large ones to sleep spiritually. Next slide chapter 2 verse 1. These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.

Ephesus: Commended for Works and Discernment

I know your deeds your hard work and your perseverance. Now every letter to the seven churches. We're only looking at Ephesus today starts with the words. I know Jesus knows everything he knows your deeds.

Who you've given a cup of cold water to who you visited who you've had over for dinner. Who have you witnessed to who you've encouraged who you've prayed for how you find and sacrifice? Financially for him.

I know everything. He says everything you've done good bad or indifferent. I know your hard work. He says you're going the second mile this church at Ephesus was a really good church. They really put their nose to the grindstone.

They really went the second mile. I know about your perseverance putting up with difficult circumstances and sometimes even difficult people. There is a letter here to CCF right now. It's not in the Bible, but God knows it.

Verse 2. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men that you have tested those who claim to be Apostles. But are not and have found them false. You have tested those who claim to be Apostles. We need spiritual discernment in the church now more than ever.

There's all kinds of people running around claiming to be prophets these days. I Have heard them especially maybe I'm just more sensitive to it since 2020 in the pandemic. But I have and and the American elections I have heard so many men who are held up in high esteem.

They sell books. They're all over the internet with millions of views. Proclaiming that Trump was going to win in 2020. How can that be and no one is exhorting them? In the Old Testament the true test of a prophet was this 100 accuracy 100 of the time otherwise it was the rock concert for them.

They were stoned. That's what it was. They had to have 100 accuracy a hundred percent of the time. How many prophecies that I hear we're going to pray. I remember saying well, we're praying right now and God and we're and God's given me the authority to Absolutely stamp out kovat in the world and he proclaimed that and prayed that and guess what nothing happened.

I have heard prophecies about revivals in specific places that were going to happen this event that Catastrophe and they didn't come true. Jesus says I know that you have tested prophets. Those who call themselves prophets and they've been false John said prior to the book of Revelation when he wrote in first John chapter 4 verse 1.

Do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world. So we need discernment. Next slide verse 3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary.

Ephesus Leaves Its First Love

Not grown weary despite the debauchery of that city. Yet verse 4 I hold this against you. You have forsaken your first love now. This is one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible. Because I hear a lot of Christians saying that someone lost their first love.

But that's not what happened here the Ephesians didn't lose their first love. They actually left their first love if you lose something you frantically look for it. But they didn't lose it. They just left it down willfully someplace.

They laid it down and they walked away from it. Something else was creeping in. They left not lost their first love. They started to live for themselves. They started to get involved in their own hobbies to spend time watching their favorite series on Netflix even working overtime when they didn't really need to their priorities moved from doing things that earn them rewards of gold silver and Precious stone to that which God considers wood hay and stubble.

Kindling for the fire that one day God will set fire to and test the works of every man. Now the question here is do you think it was they left their first love for the Lord or for other people? Doesn't matter.

Both lead to the same thing First John 4 20 says for whoever does not love their brother and sister whom they have seen. Cannot love God whom they have not seen. Galatians 5 verse 6. And I want you to fill in this verse I'm gonna just quote part of it.

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through blank. What is it? The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. If someone that you've heard about but you've never met personally came to you and said, you know what I want to give you ten million dollars cash in your bank account right now.

A brand new home a brand new car a. And I'm doing that just because I love you. What would you do? What we just stand there looking blinking? Would we be scrolling through our phone like this ignoring them?

We would express our Appreciation to them in any way we knew how if we were British. We might shake their hand if we're French background like me you'd kiss them on both cheeks. But we would somehow some way Express our love for them.

The natural response toward someone who loves us is that we want to display our love tangibly to them as well. And Jesus has done immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine. Even while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

First Peter 3 18 says for you. Know it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you. From your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ a lamb without blemish or defect.

Do you know what hurts Jesus? It hurts him when he loves us so much after all he's done for us. And he's got so much prepared for us in heaven, and we don't love him back. And we don't love his people back.

And what is so ironic here. Is that despite having left their first love they were still involved in ministry and in churchy things? Verse 2. I know your deeds your hard work and your perseverance. What a warning to us that busyness should never be equated with holiness.

That God is more interested in what we are than what we do. So what's the solution? Next verse. Verse 5. Repent or remember the height from which you have fallen. Repent and I'm going to put another R in here.

Repeat. Remember. Repent and repeat. Do the things you did at first. Well remember what. Well remember how excited we were when we first got saved. We would read our Bible and we would spend time praying and we go to church.

And we'd spend time with other Christians. We obeyed what it says. Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some and some people do that. But don't do that you you get together with people.

It's not about you. It's about them. It's about me. That's what God says. Remember how you used to? Witness and tell others about what Jesus had done for you. Remember all the verses that you memorized and the time.

You just spend worshiping the Lord and thanking him even as he walked and drove along you just your heart was filled with joy for the Lord. So we first we have to remember and then we have to repent well.

What is repent mean it just means admitting to God what he already knows about us? I mean he's already been through our sanctuary. He's walked among us this morning that scroll came down and told us He's walking among us and all we have to do is just Tell him Lord.

You know I'm just telling you what you already know. I don't love you as much as I you used to but I I don't want to Be like that anymore. I want to return. I want to repent Lord and Then what do we do?

We return and Nike says it best just do it. Just do it. Go back Jesus's and do the things you did at first what I can't say what those things were in each one of your lives. I have a general idea because I know what it was in my life.

But the Lord is asking us to consider what has come down from heaven on a scroll today for us to read and he says I want you to consider to remember to repent to return. I want you to do that Verse 5.

Let me read that again. If you do not repent, I'll come to you and remove your lampstand which refers to their witness. I'll remove your lampstand your witness from your community Ephesus from its place.

History bears witness to the fact that the church at Ephesus the strongest most respected church in the New Testament Went into decline after failing to heed what was written in this scroll. Today the ancient city of Ephesus is in modern-day Turkey and only 2 are Christian if you could even call them Christian and they're declining as I speak.

The light has gone out never to come on again. What if it had never gone out the city of Ephesus that's talked about in Acts chapter 19 where there was such a powerful revival and conviction that the people the Bible says came and brought 50 ,000 drachmas that was 50 ,000 pieces of silver equivalent in our money above of about 10 million dollars today, and they burned it.

They repented they said we don't want to keep these things in our home anymore. We want Jesus to be glorified we love you Jesus more than we love these things in the world that that held their attention and affection For so long and we're gonna burn them.

Repentance, Spiritual Fruit, and the Nicolaitans

This past week I bumped into someone in Staples in Simcoe and the Lord laid on my heart to start talking to them. The woman introduced herself to me as a witch. She says I'm the real McCoy. I put curses on homes people come to me and I opened up to Deuteronomy 18 and I showed her that anyone who does these things practice sorcery.

Witchcraft divination are detestable to Lord and I said to her unless you burn those things you will be going to hell. They will take you to hell. She was stunned. There was someone else in the store.

They're looking at me. Who is this guy telling you this? I am just ready. I'm all revved up ready to preach this and then reacts 90 and I and she says but they cost me so much money $6 ,000 I have in all of this.

I said I would rather get rid of that and be saved than to have that and go to hell for it. She says you're a Christian. I said yes. She says where were you Christians when I first got into witchcraft?

I said We were there, but you weren't ready to hear it. But now you are she says I know she says, you know. You're the third Christian in two days that has come to me and told me to believe in Jesus and repent.

She says I can't burn this. I said you must. I said give me your text or your telephone number. I'll text you I for the next six hours. Once I got home, I was texting her for six hours and at the end she says mark I've had a breakthrough.

I am burning all of my books tonight. I have become a Christian this afternoon but you see when the scroll comes down it came down to her and She got convicted. She says, you know what? I would rather love Jesus and you know what?

She said you texted me. I should pull up some text and read them. I think to which I she says I have never felt so much love in my life. I feel every second the love of Jesus in my life now I am so loved by him and she loved him so much and felt so much love coming from him.

She didn't care about that six thousand dollars and she burned it. And who would ever have thought that the land where the witness of that church burned so brightly would be where it is today where the light is so completely out and What a warning to us who have the truth to walk in obedience to it.

What are the symptoms of this kind of church good deeds hard work perseverance? They didn't tolerate wicked men. They persevered under hardships, but despite all of these things God overlooked them because those good points were of less value to him.

They were valueless to him actually because of their lack of love for the Lord. And when the Lord said that they had left their first love he was referring to those feelings of love and gratitude that a new Christian has.