You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
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It's great to hear.
That afternoon I heard from another visitor who said,
I wanted to let you know what I experienced this morning.
During that greeting time that y'all do, I turned and shook my wife's hand next to me,
and then we stood there, and no one else talked to us, so we sat down.
Hmm.
It's good to get both kinds of feedback.
There are always things to be grateful for because Jesus is at work in His church,
and there are opportunities for growth because we're not perfected yet, right?
But just imagine this morning that I got a message about Southwood,
not from a one-time guest, but from Jesus Himself.
Remember, He's always here, right?
He sees everything.
He even knows what's going on in our hearts, not just the stuff everyone else sees.
Wouldn't you be interested to hear what He would have to say?
Man, that'd be interesting.
Here in the next section of Revelation,
Jesus, who is giving John this entire revelation of Himself, this whole book,
has personal messages for each of seven churches, messages that deal with them directly and specifically
because He knows each of them individually,
but also messages that benefit all of His churches.
He tells all of us to read all seven of them.
So we're going to do that in the weeks ahead.
As we do that these next few weeks,
it may feel a little bit like reading someone else's mail, right?
I get that.
We don't live in first-century Turkey like these churches.
We're in 21st-century America.
But if that's difficult for you,
I'd encourage us all to listen closely to these words
because they're the words of Jesus.
And He is still the King of this church.
And His universal priorities and His heart for us remain exactly the same.
So listen for both kinds of feedback,
for commendations and for critiques,
that would apply to you and to us.
As I read from Revelation 2, the first seven verses.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write,
the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand,
who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
I know your works, your toil, and your patient endurance,
and how you cannot bear with those who are evil,
but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not,
and you found them to be false.
I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake,
and you have not grown weary.
But I have this against you,
that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen,
repent and do the works you did at first.
If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place,
unless you repent.
Yet this you have,
you hate the works of the Nicolaitans,
which I also hate.
He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the one who conquers,
I will grant to eat of the tree of life,
which is in the paradise of God.
Let's pray.
Father, we do ask for ears to hear.
We want to hear the words of our Savior,
our King,
that He would speak to our hearts.
So help us to hear,
and help us to respond as He would have us.
So work by Your Spirit,
we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
These seven letters from Jesus to the churches
follow many similar patterns,
you'll notice as we read through them.
First, there's a greeting to the angel,
either the human or the heavenly messenger of this church.
This time in Ephesus.
Ephesus, like Huntsville today,
was a happening city at this time.
It was not the formal capital of its region,
but kind of the unofficial capital,
a prosperous city on the sea and trade highways.
And the worship of the emperor was big.
There had a big economic impact on the local town.
And Ephesus had these really neat arenas.
You can still see many of them if you go,
but neat places to gather,
highlights of the city,
especially one of the wonders of the ancient world,
the temple of Artemis.
Artemis you could worship right alongside
whoever was the current emperor.
And there was also in Ephesus,
a church of Jesus,
started by the apostle Paul
with the help of Priscilla and Aquila,
taught by Paul himself for multiple years.
So they've heard some decent preaching there.
They've gotten, in fact,
a very biblical letter written to them already.
We call it Ephesians.
But now this message is sent by,
who's the sender?
It's the one who holds the seven stars
in his right hand
and walks among the lampstands.
Remember King Jesus that we saw last week?
That he's great beyond imagination.
And he's good beyond measure.
He's with his churches, right,
among the lampstands.
And he's holding them, each of them.
That's the reminder for the church in Ephesus.
Specifically, Jesus is saying,
I'm with you and I'm holding you.
And I know.
Every single one of these seven letters
starts with the words, I know.
It's not a threat.
It can kind of sound like that to us.
Although there are warnings
in most of these letters.
It's a word of hope, right?
I know.
The God that you trust in,
the one who conquered death
and holds the keys,
he sees you.
And he knows you.
Whatever you're facing
that you think no one else sees,
no one else understands,
he does.
He does.
In this case,
Jesus, knowing everything,
begins with commendations,
positive things that he knows
about the church.
And I hope that's encouraging to you.
Isn't it great to know
that Jesus actually delights
in the work,
the good work being done
in his church
by the power of his spirit?
He's pleased.
He first mentions the works,
the toil,
that the church is working hard,
not being lazy.
These words are general words,
but they speak to effort
being exerted
for the sake of the kingdom.
Let's be clear,
busyness does not equal godliness.
That's not how it works.
But perhaps here,
work discipling one another
in the way of Jesus, right?
I picture this being the way
Jesus feels at the end
of day three of VBS
here at Southwood.
You've worked hard.
You're tired,
but it's a good tired.
Tired toward the right things,
toward worthwhile ends.
Way to go.
He also applauds
their defending of the truth,
their doctrinal fidelity.
You can't get false teaching
past the Ephesians.
They are on their guard, right?
People pretending to speak for God
who teach anything
against the Scriptures
are exposed.
They guard,
as we do,
against legalism
and against license,
against a prosperity theology
that says suffering
indicates a lack of faith,
against specifically
mentioned here
the works
of the Nicolaitans.
That's verse six.
Hating the same false teaching
that Jesus hates.
We're not certain
about all the teaching
of the Nicolaitans.
There's more in another letter
here coming up.
But likely,
there was both idolatry
and immorality involved
under the guise
of Christianity
coming into the churches.
Some taught
that in this culture
where to get by
economically
and professionally,
you might be well served
to bow down to Caesar
when asked.
It could be a good idea
for you.
Some taught
Christians could do that,
could go along with that.
You know,
go to church
and worship Jesus
but on your way home
when you pass by
Caesar's temple,
bow down outwardly,
you know,
as long as you don't really
mean it in your heart.
It makes people happy.
It'll make life easy.
It's okay to do that,
they said.
Perhaps they would say
even the same things
with Artemis' temple
and its prostitutes.
As long as you don't
really mean it
in your heart
and leave your wife
or something like that,
sexual ethics
can be flexible.
It's part of the
booming Ephesian economy
where you live.
You gotta be a part
of this
to get along
in the world.
The Ephesians
have heard these ideas
and they have rejected them
as Jesus does,
hating them.
Even when other Christians
around are compromising,
defending the truth
is important.
Just ask some
Reformed Presbyterians
if you're not sure.
We'll let you know.
One more commendation.
They're enduring patiently,
bearing up under suffering
for the name of Jesus,
not getting weary.
Y'all, that's not easy.
That's not an easy thing
to do in a culture
that scoffs
at your narrow-minded
one true Savior beliefs.
It's not an easy thing
to do when it costs you
personally
or it limits your church's
role in the community.
That's not an easy thing
to keep doing
when you feel
you're plowing
through concrete
with your friends
and neighbors
and it's easy
to get tired
of working uphill, right?
But Jesus says
keep it up.
Southwood,
he genuinely delights
in our work,
in our faith,
in our endurance.
I mean,
who wouldn't want
this report card
from Jesus?
Good work ethic,
solid doctrinal fidelity,
faithful suffering endurance.
What more could Jesus
possibly want
from any church?
As it turns out,
that's a good question.
An important one here
for the church in Ephesus
and I'd suggest
an important one
for us to consider
this morning.
Have you stopped lately
to think about
the kind of relationship
that Jesus has
with his church,
with his people?
It's really important
because we get in a lot
of kinds of relationships.
It's important to understand
that relationship
is not a business arrangement
where we are needed
to help him reach
his bottom line
and get some stuff done.
The relationship
between Jesus
and his church
is not a political alliance
where you don't have
to like him
as long as you get him
the votes
and you support his agenda.
That's what he needs you for.
No.
No, we miss it
when we forget that, y'all.
That's not it.
The Bible pictures,
our relationship with Jesus
is a marriage covenant.
Right?
It's very different.
A marriage covenant
where we live for one another
out of love,
where Jesus lays down
his life
because of his great love
for us,
where we love him
because he first loved us.
A marriage.
Now, how many of you
would be thrilled
with a marriage
where your spouse says,
look, I do lots of stuff
to help our family.
I'm faithful.
No cheating.
I don't even complain
when things are really tough.
But I don't really feel
anything at all
toward you.
I don't look forward
to spending time with you.
I don't love you.
Now, don't get me wrong.
There are things
to be thankful for
in that marriage.
But you are longing
for something more, right?
There's just something
really missing
at the heart
of that kind of relationship.
Listen to Jesus' words
after sincerely
and substantially
commending the church.
Verse 4,
But I have this against you,
that you have abandoned
the love you had
at first.
This is his singular
but substantial critique.
Leaving your first love.
That's really the best
translation here.
First is an adjective.
It means then
at least first
in terms of priority.
But quite possibly
first in terms
of chronology as well.
Like it sounds
when you read
the love you had
at first,
back then.
And people debate
whether this means
their love for Jesus
or their love
for other people.
There's really no reason
that we have to choose,
right?
All through the Bible,
love for God
is the foundation
of love for neighbor.
If you've left
your first love of God,
you're probably not
loving others
deeply,
sacrificially
from the heart
all the time.
And if you've left
your first love
of others,
you're probably
not loving Jesus
deeply from the heart
either.
It's all about you,
not Him.
So both concerns
are vital to any church.
Whether we're sure
of the struggle
in Ephesus or not,
both of them
are issues.
Remember what Paul said
to the church in Corinth?
If I speak in the tongues
of men and of angels
but have not love,
I am a noisy gong
or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have
prophetic powers
and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge
and if I have all faith
so as to move mountains
but have not love,
I am nothing.
If I give away
all I have,
if I deliver up
my body to be burned
but have not love,
I gain nothing.
You can do a lot
with a faithful work ethic
but lack love
and you've done nothing.
This is a danger
for activist churches
eager to serve,
for doctrinal churches
eager to defend
the truth.
we can forget the heart
that made those
very things priorities
in the first place.
It is a particular danger
when you are right
about a lot of things
to overlook the need
to love those who are wrong
or hurting.
When your church
looks pretty good
on the surface
in a lot of ways
to overlook
heart problems
because you really
don't believe
there could be anything
deeply wrong
with yourself.
There's too much good
going on.
So I want to ask you
to do something
that could be
a little tough.
I want you to reflect
just on last week
if you were here.
If you weren't here,
the last time
that you read
or listened
to teaching
about Jesus,
is it possible
that we see Jesus
and our attention
is not attracted
powerfully to Him?
Just be honest
about the past few days.
When you saw
last week
the vision
of the resurrected Jesus
in all of His glory
holding the keys
of death and hell
because He went
to the cross
in your place
and then you saw
and heard Him
putting His hand
on you
and saying
don't be afraid,
fear not,
I'm with you.
Did your heart
skip a beat?
That may be hard
to say.
Did your attention
go back to Him
over and over
this week
as the most
worthy thing
that you could
possibly be spending
your time
thinking on?
did you reconsider
a single thing
about the way
you spend your life
or the way
you spend your time
or how you think
about your death?
See,
if you can read
for example
Revelation chapter 1
and stay mostly
unchanged
or unmoved
then you ought
to wonder
if maybe you've
lost your first love.
I'm not joking.
Jesus wants
our attention,
our affection,
our adoration,
our heartfelt
obedience,
our cheerful
giving,
our joyful
service.
He is gloriously
worthy of it
all.
All.
Think back
like Derek
asked us to do
earlier.
do you
thank Jesus
the way you
did
when you
first
realized
that he
died
for you?
Do you
share of him
the way
that you
did
when you
first
cared
more
about
what
everybody
thought
of Jesus
than what
they thought
of you?
Do you
spend time
listening to him
in his
word
the way
you did
when you
first
learned
of Jesus
but you
really
didn't
know
much
at all
and you
just
eagerly
ate
everything
that you
could?
We need
to ask
one another
those honest
questions
in our
grace groups
in our
families
an honest
heart check
right?
It's good
listen
you can do it
because Jesus
is not
pressing you
on this
to beat
you up
but to
build you
back up
you can
tell by
what he
writes
he's
offering
you a
lifeline
revelation
is a love
letter
remember
he's
offering
you
a way
back
to your
first
love
don't
ignore
it
listen
to what
he says
in verse
five
remember
therefore
from where
you have
fallen
wherever
you've
seen
that you've
lost
your first
love
remember
what it
was like
previously
at first
repent
turn
back
to Jesus
from
whatever
has
distracted
you
from
whatever
it
has
turned
back
to
Jesus
see
I'll
just
give
you
some
possibilities
maybe
you've
been
telling
yourself
for now
that
first
love
is the
kids
for a
season
it makes
sense
my calling
is to
love
them
but maybe
in so
doing
you have
put
them
at the
center
and you've
subtly
unintentionally
taught
them
that
they're
central
and that
they're
more
important
than
Jesus
repent
maybe
you've
been
telling
yourself
that
for now
first
love
is
career
just
for a
few
years
you'll
get
things
established
and then
you'll
get back
to living
with
Jesus
friends
you'll
find
that
that's
a
pattern
of life
that is
hard
for your
heart
to break
from
after
just
a few
years
repent
now
repent
back
to
Jesus
maybe
the way
you think
about it
is
I've
been
going
to
church
pretty
regularly
and I'm
still doing
lots of
good stuff
for Jesus
I tithe
pastor
back
off
right
but on
the way
home
from
church
you're
bowing
down
to
these
other
gods
kids
or
career
control
busyness
pleasure
success
power
comfort
self
if you
see that
in your
heart
bowing
down
anywhere
else
even
while
you're
doing
lots
of
good
things
the
call
is
to
repent
it's
not
to
go
be
ashamed
go
sit
in
a
corner
no
it's
turn
back
to
your
first
love
repent
and do
the works
you did
at first
a change
in your
life
not just
your
heart
if not
I will
come
to you
and remove
your
lampstand
from
its
place
unless
you
repent
do
you
see him
putting
the
repentance
out there
for you
he speeds
back to
it
again
unless
you
repent
do
this
take
this
option
the
lampstand
is the
one
that
marks
us
as a
church
of
Jesus
is
not
playing
around
this
is
a
challenge
for
us
together
not
just
us
individually
move
into
that
mindset
family
mindset
do
we
ever
let
busy
programs
become
more
important
than
hurting
people
do
we
ever
care
more
about
being
right
and
people
being
happy
than
we
do
loving
people
and
people
being
discipled
toward
Jesus
do
we
ever
get
more
focused
on
meeting
budget
than
on
meeting
the
loss
do
we
ever
love
preaching
the
gospel
of
grace
more
than
we
love
the
God
of
grace
do
we
ever
love
defending
the
truth
of
the
gospel
more
than
we
love
the
God
of
truth
do
we
ever
care
more
about
keeping
the
world
out
of
the
church
than
we
do
about
getting
the
church
into
the
world
oh
Jesus
when
we
do
and
when
we
ever
do
any
of
those
!
when
as we
confess
they
are
prone
to
do
call
us
back
to
repentance
to
our
first
love
of
you
to
our
first
works
of
loving
others
Jesus
is giving
us
the
gift
of a
heart
check
he's
inviting
us
back
I
always
find
convicting
the
parable
of
the
life
saving
station
the
story
goes
that
on
a
dangerous
sea
coast
where
shipwrecks
often
occur
there
was
once
a
little
life
saving
station
the
building
was
primitive
there
was
just
one
boat
but
the
members
of
the
life
saving
station
were
committed
when
a
ship
went
down
they
unselfishly
went
out
day
or
night
to
save
the
lost
because
so
many
lives
were
saved
by
that
station
many
people
wanted
to
be
associated
with
it
to
give
their
time
talent
and
money
to
support
its
important
work
as
the
membership
grew
some
of
the
members
became
unhappy
that
the
building
was
so
primitive
and
the
equipment
so
outdated
they
wanted
a
better
place
to
welcome
the
survivors
pulled
from
the
sea
so
they
replaced
the
emergency
cots
with
beds
and
put
better
furniture
in
the
enlarged
and
newly
decorated
building
now
the
life
saving
station
became
a
popular
gathering
place
for
its
members
but
fewer
members
were
interested
in
going
to
sea
on
life
saving
missions
so
they
hired
lifeboat
crews
to do
this
for
them
about
this
time
a
large
ship
was
wrecked
off
the
coast
and
the
hired
staff
brought
into
the
life
saving
station
cold
wet
dirty
sick
and
half
drowned
people
the
plush
carpets
got
dirty
some
of
the
exquisite
furniture
got
scratched
so
the
property
committee
immediately
had a
shower
built
outside
the
house
where
the
victims
of
shipwreck
could
be
cleaned
up
before
coming
inside
at
the
next
meeting
there
was
a
rift
in
the
membership
most
of
the
members
wanted
to
stop
the
club's
life
saving
activities
they
were
unpleasant
and
a
hindrance
to
the
normal
fellowship
of
the
members
insisted
that
life
saving
was
their
primary
purpose
and
pointed
out
they
were
still
called
a
life
saving
station
but
they
were
finally
voted
down
and
told
that
if
they
wanted
to
save
the
lives
of
all
those
people
who
would
be
shipwrecked
they
could
begin
their
own
life
saving
station
down
the
coast
they
did
but
the
pattern
continued
there
and
if
you
visit
that
seacoast
today
you
will
find
a
number
of
adequate
meeting
places
with
ample
parking
and
plush
carpeting
shipwrecks
are
frequent
in those
waters
but
most
of the
people
drown
what
great
love
they
had
at
first
they
got
drowned
in
an
ocean
of
selfish
priorities
how
sad
when
we
lose
sight
of
the
Savior
who
came
not
to
be
served
but
to
serve
and
the
mission
to
seek
and
to
save
the
lost
that
he
calls
us
to
join
him
in
as
we
walk
with
him
it's
a
heart
check
Southwood
how's
our
heart
for
Jesus
for
Huntsville
for
the
world
he
who
has
an
ear
let
him
hear
what
the
spirit
says
to
the
churches
not
just
to
Ephesus
but
if
we
have
ears
to
us
that
will
be
at
the
end
of
every
one
of
these
letters
with
a
promise
as
well
to
those
who
overcome
who
conquer
it's
the word
nikao
the Greek
word
for
victory
you thought
you didn't
know
Greek
yes
you do
Nike
victory
just
do
it
right
except
that
just
do
it
is
not
what's
being
said
about
victory
in
Revelation
the
biblical
motto
for
Nike
is
just
trust
him
in
Revelation
Jesus
is the
ultimate
conqueror
the victor
over all
evil
and conquering
overcoming
we'll see
throughout the
book
means for
us
sticking
with him
no matter
what
comes
repent
of the
other loves
just
trust
him
come
trust
Jesus
again
and the
promise
here is
that as
we do
Jesus
will grant
us to
eat of
the tree
of life
in the
paradise
of God
we don't
even know
how wonderful
that is
what it
means is
that we
will be
fed
and
blessed
and
provided
for
forever
by the
king
who even
now
leads us
in
green
pastures
who even
now
prepares a
table
before us
in the
presence
of our
enemies
who
delights
to eat
with us
now
and
forever
from the
greatest
tree
in the
greatest
garden
highlighted
by the
greatest
savior
that
that meal
with him
forever
is what
we're
rehearsing
for today
as we
come to
this table
to be
fed
and
nourished
by that
same
savior
who promises
to eat
this meal
with us
in his
father's
kingdom
that's
the
paradise
of
god
hear
his
words
to his
followers
on that
night
that he
was
betrayed
Matthew
records
it for
us
in his
gospel
that as
they
were
eating
Jesus
took
bread
and
after
blessing
it
he
broke
it
and
gave
it
to
his
disciples
as
I
ministering
in
his
name
give
this
bread
to
you
he
said
take
eat
this
is
my
body
in the
same
way
after
supper
he
took
the
cup
and
having
given
thanks
he
gave
it
to
them
saying
drink
of it
all
of you
for
this
is
my
blood
of the
covenant
poured
out
for
many
for
the
forgiveness
of
sins
and
then
Jesus
said
I
tell
you
I
will
not
drink
again
of
this
fruit
of
the
vine
until
that
day
when
I
drink
it
new
with
you
in
my
father's
kingdom
Jesus
looked
at
the
cross
and
then
he
looked
beyond
the
cross
to
the
eternal
meal
that
he
would
share
with
you
so
certainly
as
we
sit
at
this
table
today
we
look
at
the
cross
and
then
we
look
beyond
the
cross
to
that
eternal
meal
that
we
will
share
with
him
so
if
you
rejoice
and
find
your
hope
in
loving
Jesus
and
being
loved
by
Jesus
then
Presbyterian
Baptist
Jesus
follower
baptized
in
his
name
come
and
eat
with
us
and
with
him
and
look
forward
to
eating
with
him
forever
!
If
that's
not
your
hope
if
you
don't
long
for
Jesus
and
feel
loved
by
him
and
desperate
for
his
love
we
want
you
to
know
we're
really
glad
you're
here
with
us
today
and
we
welcome
you
to
come
to
these
tables
and
observe
if
you
would
like
if
you
prefer
to
stay
seated
right
where
you
are
but
above
all else
we
want
you
to see
Jesus
and
his
love
for
you
here
let
me
pray
and
then
we'll
come
and
eat
together
Jesus
thank
you
for
the
gift
of
your
life
and
your
death
and
your
ongoing
life
that
gives
us
hope
would
these
common
elements
be
used
this
morning
for
something
so
much
beyond
what
we
could
imagine
in
our
hearts
that
you'd
call
us
back
to
our
first
love
that
we
would
repent
and
come
repenting
of
things
that
distract
us
from
you
and
yet
find
you
again
to
be
the
one
that
fills
our
souls
thanks
for
meeting
with
us
we
ask
it
in
your
name
amen
for
more
information
visit
us
online
at
southwood.org
and
to
away
!