1. The Seven Churches of Asia Ephesus
Revelation 2:1-7
NT Church

2. Letters to the churches
7 letters to 7 congregations – symbolic of the church as a whole. Common conditions found in every church
Thus we can ask, “How does this apply to us?
Ephesus

3. Letters to the churches
Ephesus – Left their first love Smyrna – Persecuted (poor-rich) Thyatira – Compromise (tolerating) Pergamos – Corrupt (immorality) Sardis – Dead (or dying) Philadelphia – An open door Laodicea – lukewarm (rich-poor)
Ephesus

4. Letters to the churches
Each letter – a uniform pattern
Church identified
The Lord described
“I know your works”
Commendation/condemnations
Call to action
“He who has an ear”
To him who overcomes – a promise of reward
Ephesus

5. The church at Ephesus
We know more about this church than any other of the 7
Ephesus – an important Roman city in Asia. A seaport with great commerce 3 major roads A free city and a judicial center
Religiously – filled with idolatry including the great temple of Diana Also dark arts
Ephesus

6. The church at Ephesus The church at Ephesus
First mentioned in Acts 18:19-20
Paul stayed 2+ years – Acts 19:10, 20:31
Both Jews and Gentiles
Paul met with elders on way to Jerusalem – Acts 20:17ff
Letter believed written from Rome
Aquila & Priscilla, Apollos, Timothy, etc.
Ephesus

7. He who holds the seven stars 2:1
The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Christ identified
He who holds the seven stars 2:1
In His right hand, described as “angels of the seven churches” – 1:16, 20
Ephesus
Don McClain, w65stchurchofchrist.com

8. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Christ identified
The Angel – a messenger of Christ John 14:6 Galatians 1:12 Ephesians 3:3
Ephesus
Don McClain, w65stchurchofchrist.com

9. The Holy Spirit reveals His message John 14:26, 16:13
The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Christ identified
The Holy Spirit reveals His message John 14:26, 16:13
Ephesus
Don McClain, w65stchurchofchrist.com

10. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Their strengths
“I know your works”
Your labor – they worked hard at what they did
Your patience – they had suffered in times past (cf. Acts 19) and endured. They had not given up
Ephesus

11. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Their strengths
You cannot bear those who are evil – they did not tolerate evil in their midst
Recall how Paul warned them to watch for wolves - Acts 20: They had heeded that warning
Ephesus

12. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Their strengths
You cannot bear those who are evil
You have tested those who are false apostles – 2 Corinthians 11:13-14, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Ephesus

13. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Their strengths
You cannot bear those who are evil
You have tested those who are false apostles
You have hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans – vs. 6 (2:15)
Ephesus

14. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Their strengths
You have persevered and have patience – even in the midst of idolatrous Ephesus, etc.
You have labored and not become weary – still going strong in their stand against error! vs. 6 (2:15)
Ephesus

15. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Condemnation
Nevertheless, I have this against you
Only ONE negative observation
How many errors are necessary to put us in spiritual danger? James 2:10, cf. Luke 18:22
Ephesus

16. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Condemnation
You have left your first love
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, Ephesians 1:15
They had zeal (destroying books) and compassion (weeping for Paul)
Ephesus

17. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Condemnation
You have left your first love
If we don’t have proper love – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Consider love between a husband and wife – begins strong, but what happens? Does it grow stronger or weaker? Do they begin to take each other for granted?
Ephesians 5:22-33
Ephesus

18. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Condemnation
You have left your first love
The flame of Ephesus had grown weak. They took for granted the love if Christ behind their actions.
They WERE battle hardened, NOW they are battle weary
Ephesians 5:22-23
Ephesus

19. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Condemnation
You have left your first love
Summary: In Ephesus we find a church lacking proper motives and zeal
We need to do the right thing, WITH the right motives! Matthew 5:8, 22:37, 23:23, etc.
Ephesus

20. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Call to action
Remember!
Change always begins with examination
2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 6:4
Luke 15:17-21 – the prodigal “came to himself”
Ephesus

21. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Call to action
Repent!
We cannot just drift and assume God will be pleased
Luke 13:3 & 5
2 Corinthians 7:10-11, “In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter”
Ephesus

22. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Call to action
Do the first works
Return to the old paths, the original pattern Cf. Jeremiah 6:16
Rekindle the flame!
Ephesus

23. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
Consequence if you do not repent
OR else I will come quickly and remove your lampstand
Their standing with the Lord was in jeopardy Loveless action is NOT something to take lightly
Ephesus

24. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
“He who has an ear, let Him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”
Ephesus

25. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
DOES THIS APPLY TO US?
Have we left our first love?
Doctrinally sound, but zeal is weak?
Have we forgotten that we are here to serve Christ, and not our selfish agenda?
Are we more interested in winning arguments or souls?
Ephesus

26. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
DOES THIS APPLY TO US?
Is our worship more about form than purpose? More about ritual than heart? Cf. Malachi 1 & 2
Is our love for our Lord and one another, and others weaker!
Are we more interested in “the way we have always done things” with no desire to improve or adapt (without compromise)?
Ephesus

27. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
DOES THIS APPLY TO US?
Have we neglected the weightier matters of the law? Matthew 23:23
If this is where we find ourselves, let us learn from Ephesus – Remember – Repent – Return!
Ephesus

28. The Letter to Ephesus – 2:1-7
The promise!
To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God
Genesis 3:22 – the tree of life lost.
Revelation 22:2, 14, 19 – in the heavenly city
Ephesus

29. How is our first love?