Thank you.
Revelation, chapter 2.
We've begun a series here in Revelation just a few weeks ago.
If you've missed any of the talks, please do find them on our church website.
You can follow along there.
And we're going to read from chapter 2, verses 1 to 7.
Revelation, chapter 2, verses 1 to 7.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write,
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand
and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.
I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people,
that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not
and have found them false.
You've persevered and have endured hardships for my name
and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you.
You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Consider how far you have fallen.
Repent and do the things you did at first.
If you do not repent,
I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place.
But you have this in your favour.
You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,
which I also hate.
Whoever has ears,
let them hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the one who is victorious,
I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,
which is in the paradise of God.
Let's pray together.
Words from our reading.
Whoever has ears,
let them hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.
Father, we pray and ask
that you would help us
not just to hear
physical, audible words,
but that these words
would penetrate
into our hearts
so that you change us
and form us
and mould us
into the kind of people
and the church
that brings you glory
and honour
and will be good
for us today
and for all eternity.
So help us now, we ask
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
I wonder if you remember
your first love.
Can you remember?
I remember mine.
Her name was Mandy.
I found a piece of chalk
and I wrote on big letters
in the back of the toy cupboard door,
I love Mandy,
and then drew a great big heart.
I was about seven years old, I think.
My love remained strong
until one day
my brother saw it.
Well then the slagging started,
the laughing and the mocking.
Johnny loves Mandy.
Well in desperation
I rubbed it out
and denied that I ever wrote it,
nothing to do with me.
I had forsaken
my first love.
Now I know it's a bit of fun
but it makes the point, doesn't it?
Under pressure from others,
from the outside,
we too can forsake
our first love.
That's what was happening
it appears to the church
that John wrote to.
Verse 4
I hold this against you.
You have forsaken
the love you had
at first.
Their love for the Lord Jesus
had become cold
and distant.
Remember, Revelation
is a series of visions
visions which has been
given by God
to John
for the church
and the purpose
of these visions
is to strengthen
the church
in a time of opposition
and persecution.
You see,
if the church
is going to be strong,
then we must know
where it is weak
and where we identify
where the weaknesses are,
then we can fortify
the church
and fortify our lives.
in chapters 2 and 3,
we have seven messages
to seven churches.
You can just skim
the headings
through chapter 2 and 3.
Seven,
as we've seen already
in our studies,
represents fullness
and completeness.
So rather than see these
as individual messages
to individual churches,
we should read it
as one message
which is relevant
to all churches
in all times
and all places.
I mean,
we're even given
a hint of that
in verse 7.
Whoever has ears,
let them hear
what the Spirit says
to the churches.
Plural.
And we are a church today
in our time,
in our age,
so let's see
what we can learn
about our church today.
First,
Jesus loves
his church.
You say,
I know that,
but this is foundational.
Jesus loves
Karageline Baptist Church.
In fact,
it's all because of Jesus
that we are actually
a church.
Just have a look back
at chapter 1,
verse 5,
the middle of verse 5.
It says,
to him,
to Jesus,
who loves us
and has freed us
from our sins
by his blood
and has made us
to be a kingdom
and priests
to serve his God
and Father.
To him,
to Jesus,
be glory and power
forever and ever.
Amen.
in love.
Jesus died
for you and for me
so that we would
become a kingdom,
his special people,
his church,
that we would
serve his purpose.
Now,
this love
is not just
a past love
in the distant,
far off past
or a fleeting
moment of emotion.
No,
this is a
continuing,
never failing,
always faithful love.
love.
Let's go to chapter 2,
verse 1.
To the angel
or to the messenger
of the church
in Ephesus write,
these are the words
of him,
of Jesus,
who loves us,
who holds the seven stars
in his right hand
and walks among
the seven golden
lampstands.
We're being taken
back,
aren't we,
to the vision
of Jesus
in chapter 1
and we're reminded
of two things.
First,
that Jesus
walks
among us.
Have a look back
there at that vision,
chapter 1,
verse 12.
Here,
John,
he heard a voice
and he turned
round to see
the voice
that was speaking
and when I turned
I saw
seven golden
lampstands
and among
the lampstands
was one like
a son of man,
that is,
the God-man,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
the one with
absolute power
and authority.
What are these
lampstands?
Well,
if you have a look
down at the end
of verse 20,
the lampstands
are
the seven
churches.
And now
in chapter 2,
verse 1,
we're told
explicitly
that Jesus
is walking
among
the lampstands.
He's walking
amongst
the church.
Right here,
right now,
Jesus is present
by a spirit.
We cannot see
him physically.
You don't feel
him bump up
against you.
But Jesus,
the one with
absolute power
and supreme
authority,
is right here,
right now.
The one who
died for
our sins
and made us
a kingdom
is walking
by his spirit
among his
people.
He's with us.
His love
for the church
is so great
that he longs
to be present
with us,
dwelling
with us.
He loves
his church.
And second,
Jesus holds
his church
in his hands.
Again,
look at
verse 1.
These are
the words
of him
who holds
the seven
stars in
his right
hand.
Again,
it's taking
us back
to the vision
in chapter 1.
Have a look
there again,
chapter 1,
verse 16.
Speaking of
Jesus,
in his
right hand
he held
seven stars.
And we're
reminded of
what those
seven stars
are.
Down in
verse 20,
you saw
in my
right hand
the seven
golden lamp
stands.
The seven
stars are
the angels
of the
seven churches.
Jesus.
Now,
the focus
here is
not who
is the
angel or
what the
angel does,
but that
the angel
represents
the church.
In other
words,
Jesus has
the church
in the
grip of
his hand.
He doesn't
let go.
It's not
us who
are holding
on to
him,
but Jesus
who holds
on to
us.
His love
for the
church is
so great
that he
cares
deeply
for us.
We should
never lose
sight of
the fact
that Jesus
loves his
church.
He is
with us
and for
us.
His
presence
and his
power
are at
work
among
us
by his
spirit.
Now,
isn't that
comforting
and encouraging
for us
today?
As the
church is
continually
under
threat,
when we
feel weak
and we're
struggling
to keep
going as
a
Christian,
what is
it that's
going to
keep us
going?
Well,
listen to
his words.
I walk
among you.
I hold
you.
I identify
with you.
I understand.
I'm with
you and for
you.
The glorious
risen Christ
loves
Carigoline
Baptist
Church.
He loves
us.
sinners.
And that
means
he loves
sinners.
You see,
you might be
thinking,
well,
Jesus might
love other
churches,
but I'm
not sure
if he
loves us.
And I'm
not sure
actually if
he even
loves me.
You see,
if you
knew what
I knew
about so
and so,
or if
you knew
what I
was like,
if you
could peer
into my
heart,
there is
no way
that Jesus
would love
us.
Well,
Jesus knows
exactly what
we're like.
He sees
the beauty
and the
ugly.
He knows
our strengths
and our
weaknesses.
Look at
verse 2.
I know,
I know
everything about
you.
I know
your deeds
and your
hard work.
Yet,
verse 4,
I hold
this against
you.
You've
forsaken
the love
you had
at first.
It's the
same for
everybody else
who he
writes to.
Look at
verse 13.
Chapter 2,
verse 13.
I know
where you
live,
where Satan
has his
throne.
I understand
that Satan
is against
you and
the pressure
is on.
yet you
remain true
to my
name.
I know
this.
Verse 14.
Nevertheless,
I have a few
things against
you because
I know
this too.
There are
some among
you who
hold to
the teaching
of Balaam.
Well,
he was the
one who
led people
away into
idolatry.
Or
verse 19.
Jesus
again says,
I know
your deeds.
Your love
and your
faith.
I see
what's
going on
in your
church,
your service.
Verse 20.
But I
know this
as well.
I have
this against
you.
You
tolerate
that woman
Jezebel.
Again,
here,
symbolic of
the world
that seduces
and pulls
us away
from Christ.
You see,
he knows
us inside
out.
He sees
our heart.
He sees
what we
do in
public and
in private.
He sees
my failings
and he
sees your
failings.
Yet in
it all,
he doesn't
abandon us.
He's with
us and
he's for
us and
he faithfully
walks among
sinners and
he faithfully
holds sinners
in his
hands.
Because
Jesus loves
his church.
Jesus loves
Carigoline
Baptist
Church.
Isn't
that good
news today?
Well,
Jesus loves
us for
sure.
But the
question for
us today is
do we
love Jesus?
On the
surface it
seems here
that the
church does
love Jesus.
Jesus loves
deeds and
doctrine.
Look at
verse 2.
I know
your deeds.
Here comes
the commendation.
I love
your deeds,
your hard
work and
your
perseverance.
I know
that you
cannot tolerate
wicked
people and
that you've
tested those
who claim
to be
apostles,
those of
the truth
but are
not and
have found
them false.
wickedness.
This is a
church that
is most
definitely
tough on
sin.
They can't
tolerate
wickedness.
And they're
solid on
teaching.
They're able
to identify
false teachers.
And those
are great
marks of a
healthy church.
They score
high on
deeds and
doctrine.
But it
wasn't easy
to do
this.
Remember
Ephesus was
a city
that celebrated
liberty and
behaviour and
loyalty to
the various
gods.
In fact,
within that
city was a
huge temple
that was
right at the
heart of
day-to-day
life.
It was
there to
honour the
fertility
goddess
Artemis
and the
Roman
emperors
who were
put into
statue form
and to
be treated
as gods.
And so
the pressure
day-to-day
as you
went about
your business
and hanging
out your
friends was
to join
in and
to compromise
and not
to take
part in
those
activities
meant you
were socially
ostracised,
you were a
threat politically.
It put you
in the firing
line.
But no,
they did
not give
in, did
they?
Verse 3.
You have
persevered,
you've endured
hardships for
my name,
and have
not grown
weary.
A strong
church.
They were
faithful in
right behaviour
and in
right belief.
In fact,
verse 6,
we're told that
they have this
in their favour
as well.
You hate the
practices of
the Nicolaitans
which I also
hate.
Now we don't
know a lot
about them but
one reasonable
view is that
they taught
compromise.
They were
teaching amongst
the churches.
You know what?
It's hard to be
a Christian,
I get it.
But it's
okay if you
kind of just
slip up and
visit the
temple prostitutes
every now and
again and
bow to the
emperor in
the temple
and keep
your job.
I mean,
that's alright.
A foot in
both camps,
that's the
best way.
But no,
the church was
firm in their
stance.
They did not
buckle.
They hated
such practices.
Now as we
look in at
Karageline
Baptist Church,
what do you
see?
Well how we
behave and
what we
believe is
important,
isn't it?
Deeds and
doctrine matter
and so we
give them our
utmost attention.
We don't
compromise.
We're to be
strong and
steady.
Yes?
Yes, I
got one
nod, thank
you.
But underneath,
is there
something amiss?
Look at
verse 4.
Yet I
hold this
against you.
You have
forsaken the
love you
had at
first.
They're
morally
strong and
theologically
sound,
scoring high
on deeds
and doctrine
but yet in
it all
they've
abandoned
their love
for Jesus.
In their
pursuit of
being tough
on sin and
strong in
their teaching,
they've left
Jesus behind.
You see,
the danger is
this can
happen to
us too.
perhaps it
already has.
You see,
we can be so
proud that the
world view of
marriage and
gender doesn't
take effect on
the church and
you know,
we're strong
but yet we can
forsake Jesus.
We can be
confident that
false teaching
doesn't get a
foothold in
the church
but we can
forsake Jesus.
You and I
can be so
clear about
what is morally
right and
biblically
sound.
We can have
the right
behaviour and
the right
beliefs but,
verse 4,
you have
forsaken the
love you had
at first.
You see,
we need to
be so
careful that
we don't
divorce our
deeds and
our doctrine
from our
devotion to
Jesus.
We can
point out
the danger
of sin and
hold to
moral standards
but if it
doesn't grow
our love for
Jesus,
it's all
nothing.
It's all
nothing.
We can
fit our
heads with
sermons and
go to our
podcasts and
go to
NBC and
learn theology
but unless
it leads to
a love for
Jesus,
it's all a
waste of
time.
All a
waste of
time.
In other
words,
the reason
why we
want to
be serious
about sin
is because
we want
to be more
like Jesus.
And the
reason why
we want to
be so
clear in
our
teaching is
because we
want to
know Jesus
better.
Our goal
and our
purpose is
that our
love for
Jesus would
increase.
Think back
with me to
the first
time you
became a
Christian.
I'd
guess, and
I know
this is
generalising
a little
bit, I'd
say that
for most
of us we
knew little
of what
Christian
behaviour
looked like.
We knew
little about
Christian
belief and
doctrine.
But there
was a
passion for
Jesus.
We talked
about him,
didn't we?
sang about
him with
gusto.
We served
him.
And we
read Christian
books and
we told
others about
what we were
reading and
how we were
encouraged.
We just
joined in the
outreach events
with excitement
and anticipation.
We delighted
in Jesus
because we
loved him.
Now fast
forward to
where we
are today.
I'd say,
I'd guess,
we know
tons more
about
Christian
morality.
We know
heaps
of theology.
We've got
all the
arguments.
We can be
clear on
justification
and
sanctification.
We're
sensitive to
ethical
standards.
But sadly,
our love
for Jesus
has not
increased,
but it's
decreased.
When it
comes to
responding in
praise and
prayer,
oh, we
just cross
our arms
and we
just mumble
along.
Our heads
are somewhere
else.
We find
that when it
comes to
praying,
we've got
nothing to
say.
We've
lost our
joy.
We've
maybe grown
cold and
the fire's
gone out.
Reflecting
on this is
frightening to
think that
I,
that you,
that we,
that we
could forsake
our first
love.
We need to
be so
careful that
we do not
divorce our
deeds and
our doctrine
from our
devotion to
Jesus.
So what are we
going to do?
Well, we
want to renew
our love for
Jesus.
We want to
pursue him.
We want to
desire him.
We want to
long for him
together.
But how do
we do that?
How do we
set alight that
flame?
How do we
return to
our first
love?
Well, let me
suggest two
things that we
can do.
first we
can repent
of our
sin.
Have a look
at verse
five.
Consider
how far
you have
fallen.
Think about
it.
Meditate.
Think how
far you have
fallen.
Repent and
do the
things you
did at
first.
Repentance,
what does
that mean
in practice?
Well, let
me give you
three practical
steps for
us all.
I think it
starts with
confession.
That's
repentance,
isn't it?
Turning from
and turning
to.
Confessing
how we
have forsaken
our love.
Consider how
far you've
fallen.
What is it
for each one
of us that
has taken
our eyes
off Jesus?
What is it
that's got
your attention?
What is it
that's
captivating
your heart
so that
when you
wake up
your very
first thought
goes to
there or
when you're
daydreaming
your thoughts
go to
there?
What is it
that's capturing
your heart
away from
Jesus?
Acknowledge
your sin.
Ask him
to forgive
you and
he will.
second,
meditate
on his
love for
you.
Remember
how we
saw at
the very
beginning
that Jesus
loves his
church.
Just think
about that
deeply,
how he's
with us
and for
us.
Take time
to read
scripture
and see
the beauty
and the
greatness
of Jesus.
Revelation
is full
of visions
about Jesus
and as we
go through
we'll see
that as
people,
the angels
and all
creation
as they're
captured by
Jesus,
what do
they all
do?
They fall
down and
burst into
spontaneous
praise
because they've
seen him.
We can
confess,
we can
meditate
and we
can pray.
Ask God
to give you
a hunger
and a
thirst for
him.
pray that
the Holy
Spirit
would give
us a
longing
for more
of Jesus,
that you
would experience
his love
in your
life each
and every
day.
The best
way of course
to do
this is in
community.
Remember
this is
written to
churches,
not an
individual.
As we
join together
we do
these things
in community,
we confess
with one
another,
we meditate
on God's
word together
and we
pray in
response.
We
relight the
fire,
we fan
the flame,
we encourage
each other
on until
the hearts
are set on
fire for
Jesus.
That's why
we meet in
our home
groups,
because we
want to
encourage
each other
in our
love for
Jesus.
That's what
it means to
repent.
It's
reorientating
our life
around him.
Now,
if we
ignore this,
please hear
the warning.
Look at the
rest of
verse 5.
If you
do not
repent,
I will
come to
you and
remove your
lampstand
from its
place.
You see,
a true
church,
a healthy
church,
is one
that takes
Jesus
seriously.
As we're
shown our
sin,
we confess
it,
we meditate
upon him,
we pray
for a
change of
heart,
but not
to do
so,
to not
respond
like this
means the
Lord Jesus
will,
verse 5,
remove your
lampstand.
He will
remove the
church.
Why?
Well,
because it's
not a
church.
A church
is a
church that
repents and
turns back
to him and
seeks him
and desires
him.
And we
can say
with confidence
that he
walks among
us and
he holds
us in
his hands.
Maybe you
find this
uncomfortable
and challenging.
I'm
finding it
very
uncomfortable.
But Jesus
isn't out to
berate us.
He isn't
showing us
our sin just
to kind of
heap the
guilt and
the shame.
but because
he loves
us.
He longs
that we
would respond
in love
to him.
He wants
our best
because he
knows that
when Jesus
has our
heart's
attention,
it's going
to be good
for us.
It's going
to be best.
So we
renew our
love for
Jesus.
We repent
of his
our sin.
And then
the second
step is
to remember
his promise.
Look at
verse 7.
Whoever
has ears,
let them
hear what
the Spirit
says to
the churches.
Verse 1
said something
similar,
didn't it?
These are
the words
of him.
Now in
verse 7,
hear what
the Spirit
says.
It's not
that the
Word of
God and
the Spirit
of God
are separate.
No,
they always
operate
together.
the Spirit
of God
takes the
Word of
God to
do the
work of
God in
the church
of God.
So what
is the
Spirit
saying to
us?
The rest
of verse
7.
To the
one who
is victorious,
to the
one who
overcomes,
that is,
the one
who responds
in repentance,
the one who
turns back
to the
Lord and
seeks his
help for a
change of
heart.
I will
give the
right to
eat from
the tree
of life,
which is
in the
paradise of
God.
This is
God's
promise to
his church,
to us
today.
It's a
picture of
the new
creation to
come.
Have a
look with
me in
Revelation
chapter 22.
We get
an expanded
version of
this tree
of life in
the paradise
of God.
Chapter 22
verse 1.
Again, it's
another vision
John sees.
And as
John looks,
we have
this wonderful
garden scene,
a beautiful
garden.
chapter 22
verse 1.
Then the
angel showed
me the
river of
the water
of life,
as clear
as crystal,
flowing from
the throne of
God and of
the Lamb,
down the
middle of
the great
street of
the city.
On each
side of the
river stood
the tree
of life,
bearing
twelve crops
of fruit,
yielding its
fruit for
every month,
abundance and
plenty,
and the
leaves of
the tree
are for
the healing
of the
nations.
This is
what the
church can
look forward
to.
The church
that loves
Jesus
will be in
the presence
of God's
love in
all its
fullness and
completeness
forever and
forever.
Just as
God walked
in the
cool of the
garden with
Adam and
Eve way
back in
that first
garden,
so we
have a
picture of
God and
his people
walking
together in
the new
eternal
garden.
At last
our love
for him
will be
unfailing
and
undistracted.
Sin will
be gone,
opposition
will end
and we
will delight
in his
love forever
and together
we will
join in
with all
God's
people and
we will
sing with
the angels
worthy is
the lamb
who was
slain to
receive power
and wealth
and wisdom
and strength
and honour
and glory
and praise
to him
who sits
on the
throne
and to
the lamb
be praise
and honour
and glory
and power
forever
and ever.
Amen.
So we
renew our
love for
Jesus.
We turn
in repentance.
We
remember
his great
promise.
Jesus
loves
Cargilline
Baptist
Church.
Let's
renew our
love for
him.
Let's
pray.
Amen.
Lord God,
our
Father,
gentle and
caring and
good,
thank you
for your
great love
for us.
Thank you
for your
faithful love.
your
steadfast
love.
We do
love you.
We do.
And yet
so often
our love
for you
is distracted.
We fail.
We love
ourselves
more.
We love
the gifts
that you
give us
more.
we love
other things
and other
people
more than
we love
you.
Would you
please give
us a hunger
and thirst
for you?
Would you
increase
our love
for you?
Would you
show us
the wonder
of Jesus
afresh?
That we
would delight
in him
and love
him?
Father,
send your
spirit upon
us
and stir
us afresh,
thanking you
that you
walk among
us
and you
hold us
and you
work in
us what
is good
and best.
we trust
you to
do this
for us
and thank
you that
you will.
Amen.
Well,
we're going
to sing
a song
that's
going to
help us
to respond
to what
we've been
thinking about
together this
morning.
The chorus
knowing you,
Jesus
knowing you,
you're my
all,
you're the
best,
you're my
joy.