LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES (PART 3)

Text: Revelation 2:1-7

Scriptural References: Prov 14:14, Heb 10:38                           

As we saw last week, there are some structures common in the letters to the seven churches. But one thing we should note is that we must not be dogmatic about these structures. The structures are just like a guide and can also be restructured or renamed as the case may be.

The Church at Ephesus

Ephesus in the Bible means desirable. It was called the vanity fare of Asia and all men around the world at that time came there to buy different things including idols. The temple of Diana which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World at that time was located in Ephesus. Thus, for the church in Ephesus to be able to contend with these things, it had to stand firm in Christ. It had to understand how the environment operated and the circumstances it was surrounded with, so it could know how to make the name of Christ glorified in such a place, and it had to be very spiritual for it to remain in existence.

This is a typical way of how life is generally. For one to be able to make it, he/she needs to understand the environment surrounding him. When a man knows where he is coming from, where he is, and where he is going, he will know how to serve God. Many times, we tend to wait for motivation before we serve God. There are certain advice we are still receiving today that we ought to have outgrown, having awareness that the kind of lifestyle we exhibit can determine whether we succeed or fail in a particular environment. Some lifestyles are suitable for some environments while others are not. This implies that we all need to study our environment carefully so we can cultivate lifestyles that would help us succeed.

In the letter to this Church, Christ revealed Himself as the one that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven candlesticks. Here, Christ was emphasizing the need for the church not to allow anything interfere with their walk and relationship with him. He was telling them that no matter what happened, their walk with Him must never be tampered with, they must do everything possible to maintain that walk.

Christ commended the good works the church in Ephesus was doing. He commended their labour, patience and their stand against evil. He even commended their hatred for the deeds of the Nicolaitans who were a set of people that misinterpreted and perverted the Gospel. But He said He had something against them, and that is “they had left their first love”. Christ meant that their love had grown cold. This love can be broken down into three (3):

-          Love for the Lord

-          Love for the brethren

-          Love for sinners

Our relationship with Christ is like a marriage, and we must never allow it grow cold. There are certain things (such as reverence for God, reading and studying the Word of God, maintaining a healthy prayer life e.t.c.) we should never outgrow as Christians; but rather we must keep growing in them. These are the things that will help us remain steadfast as Christians.

When God gives you commendations and also adds that He has something against you, your concern should not always be the commendations but rather, the things He has against you. This is because that little thing that He has against you can destroy you if not tackled. That thing you think is too little that God is always calling your attention to can be the one to destroy you. It was the accusation that God had against the Church of Ephesus that destroyed them at the end. Today, that Church no longer exists. In the Bible, God warned Moses against anger but it was still that same anger that prevented Moses from entering the Promised Land. God also used King David to warn his son King Solomon about sexual immorality but we see that at the end, it was sexual immorality that destroyed King Solomon. What is God warning you about? Don’t make the mistake of just waving it off; tackle it so that it would not be your downfall tomorrow.

There are three key lessons we can learn from the Accusation to the Church at Ephesus: These lessons are:

i.              We must constantly compare our past with our present. In other words, what I was is important but what I am is more important.

ii.             Where I was is not as important as where I am.

iii.            That little or that one thing I consider small is enough to destroy all.

Christ concluded His writing to the Church at Ephesus with the promise of a special meal if they heeded His advice. This means there is a great banquet and reward awaiting those who heed the instructions of the LORD, and as such, we must not live as if it all ends here, we should be conscious of the fact that when we respond to God’s advice and instructions, His reward awaits us both here and after this life.