To the Church at Ephesus
As we get started this morning, could everyone turn for just a minute, and look at the big stained-glass window above the doors?
I told you this series on Revelation would come with pictures, and there’s one right there. It’s a big glass circle, and right in the center of it are the Greek letters Chi and Rho, which is called a Christogram — it’s one of the earliest symbols for Jesus Christ. And you can notice that on both sides of the Chi Rho are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the Alpha and the Omega. And then around the circle, like a clock, are various aspects of creation and life in this world, and the message of that window is that Jesus Christ is central to it all.
Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords — he’s the beginning and the end, the first and the last — and knowing his supremacy over this world is the key to living in this world. And so every time we gather in this space, literally, we enter under that truth; and every time we are commissioned out of this space, we exit under that truth — it’s the truth of the supremacy of Jesus over all things, which is conveyed through a visual.
And in that way, that stained-glass window and the Book of Revelation share something in common.
Because both that window and the Book of Revelation are meant to give us a visual perspective into the reign and relevance of Jesus for right now. That window is an artistic vista into such reality; and the Book of Revelation is a God-inspired vision of such reality — and that is why we are in this book, in January, the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty One.
And I can’t imagine a better place for us to be, here at the start of a new year, having come through what we came through last year. More than ever we need clarity on reality! We need to be reminded of the real truth behind the veneer of our common experience.
Like, what you experience right now, this normal plane of reality we often operate on, what is behind that? What if we could just see things as they actually are? Can we get to the bottom of all of this?
Well, the Book of Revelation does that.
What Is Revelation?
First, what is the Book of Revelation?
This book is a vision from Jesus, given to the apostle John, to be written and sent to seven churches in Asia (what is modern-day Turkey) — and these are seven real, historical, local churches (as Pastor Joshua mentioned last week). If you could see them on a map, they form a kind of horseshoe in the order that the churches are addressed in Chapters 2 and 3. John is writing from the island of Patmos, and to the east the closest church to him is Ephesus —
And then it’s up to Smryna,
And then Pergamum,
And then over to Thyatira
And then down to Sardis
And then Philadelphia
And then finally the loop ends at Laodicea.
And this book was meant to be circulated along this loop. It was to be sent to all these churches, and then beyond these churches to every church of every age, including our church today. So just like we’re meant to learn from Paul’s letters to the churches, we’re meant to learn from what John says to each of these seven churches.
And I say “learn,” but what I should say is see. Because, again, this book is visual. John wants us to show us what really is, not obscure it. The Book of Revelation reveals.
So imagine that John has his fingers on the corner of our everyday existence — this is the surface where we live — and what John does is he peels back the part we usually see to show us the unfiltered spiritual realm. That’s what this book does. It engages the imagination to show us what we otherwise could not understand.
The Why-What-How
And for this sermon, we’re doing to do three things:
First, we’re going to see why Jesus is addressing these seven churches.
Second, we’re going to see what Jesus says to the church at Ephesus.
And then third, we’re going to consider how we should live in light of what Jesus says.
So we’re gonna start with why, then to what, and end with how.
Let’s pray:
Father in heaven, thank you for the Holy Scriptures and for this moment as we gather to hear from you. Please speak to us, we pray, by your Holy Spirit, in Jesus’s name, amen.
Part One: Why Does Jesus Address These Churches?
There are three reasons why, and each of these are things that we’re supposed to hold in view as we continue to read this book. We don’t just glance at these and move on, but we keep them front and center as we read about the churches in Chapters 2 and 3, and then as we read everything else.
The first reason why Jesus addresses these churches is because:
#1. Jesus rules a world-conquering kingdom in tribulation.
We see this right away in how Jesus is introduced, Chapter 1, verse 5. In John’s greetings to the seven churches, he describes Jesus as “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings on earth.”
That means Jesus is the definitive revelation of who God is. He has faithfully represented the heart of God, just like John recorded in his Gospel, in John 14:9, Jesus said that whoever has seen him has seen God the Father.
Jesus as the firstborn from the dead means that Jesus has defeated death, and he has blazed the trail for a new way of life that overcomes death. This is a life that we follow Jesus into.
Then, Jesus is the ruler of the kings on earth, and that means exactly what is says. Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the one who holds the hearts of all earthly kings in his hand, and he has his own kingdom in verse 5: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom …”
So the kingdom of Jesus is one that he himself has created — and how?
By conquering our sin. We were held captive to sin; enslaved to sin; we were stuck in darkness, but Jesus has freed us by his blood. He stepped into this world to war against sin, to destroy the works of the devil, by giving himself in our place, to free us and make us a kingdom — and we’re a kingdom of priests (see 1 John 3:8).
And at this point the ‘Old Testament Allusion Radar’ is flashing here! Because that language goes all the way back to Exodus 19 and Yahweh’s purpose for Israel. Yahweh did not give up on his plan to have for himself a people, but he has accomplished it in Christ, and to him be glory forever and ever. But not just glory, also dominion. That’s important in verse 6.
Jesus, the Ruler of the kings on earth who has a kingdom, has eternal dominion — which is what we saw this past summer in Psalm 21. God makes the Messiah the universal, eternal king.
And so Revelation is bringing the whole Bible together. Jesus is the focal point, the center, just like in the window, and under him is a kingdom that will never end. It’s a kingdom that will conquer.
But it may not be what you think. Notice what John says in verse 9. This is what you would call the occasion of this book. John himself is explaining what he’s doing:
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
John is in exile. He was exiled to the island of Patmos “on account of” — because of — “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” So he’s writing from within persecution. In verse 9 he identifies himself to these churches as their “brother and partner” in the tribulation. And right away we should feel a tension. Because so far the message has been victory! God’s purpose is accomplished! Jesus has a conquering kingdom!
But in verse 9 John puts that kingdom in the context of tribulation. Take a look at verse 9 again. John doesn’t forget about the kingdom. He’s part of the kingdom. He’s a brother and partner to these churches in the kingdom, but right now it is “tribulation and kingdom.” That’s where we are on the timeline — Jesus has a conquering kingdom, and we whom Jesus loves and has set free are part of that kingdom, but that kingdom for now is a kingdom in tribulation. Christians suffer. We experience loss and pain and heartache. We live in a world of trials. John gets straight to it here. And I hope you hear the clarity in this.
A kingdom in tribulation is where you sit right now, and this is why we need the patient endurance that is in Jesus, which John also mentions in verse 9.
“The tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus” — that pretty much sums what we’re all doing here. And that patience endurance is how the kingdom conquers through tribulation — we stand our ground by faith. We hold on and believe. And Jesus has something to say to us … because Jesus has a conquering kingdom in tribulation.
The second reason why Jesus addresses these churches is because,
#2. Jesus has fear-conquering authority.
And for this part, we get the idea by the end of Chapter 1, verse 8. John starts this book by grounding reality in the supremacy of Jesus, but then beginning in Chapter 1, verse 12, he shows us what the sovereign Jesus looks like.
This is a visual. It’s an image. When we read these words we are meant to see Jesus with the eyes of our mind. We use our imagination.
Verse 10: It’s a Sunday morning, and John hears behind him a voice like a trumpet, and it’s Jesus, who is commissioning John to write to the seven churches. So John turned to see Jesus speaking to him, and here’s what he saw. You ready?
I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
Does everybody see that?
We all get scared sometimes, don’t we? Fear and uncertainty are part of this tribulation we’re in. Sometimes things go badly, and from where we stand we don’t know if our next steps — the decisions we make now — we don’t know if they will go badly. We don’t know what pain is coming. When we look into a full year ahead of us, we just do not know.
And that’s scary. But then there’s Jesus, and there’s this vision of him in his sovereign authority, and of all the fears we have or could have about the future, Jesus, who is described here in these verses, is more real than those fears. His authority is more real than our circumstances, and we should take comfort in that with our imaginations.
It’s one thing to be fearful and think, “But Jesus is in control.” You should think that, because that’s true! But we can do more than think that. We can see him!
I am afraid, but the Jesus who stands by me (like in 2 Timothy 4:17) is Jesus who is standing by me with eyes like a flame of fire, with hair like snow, with feet like bronze, with a voice like a hurricane, and he holds stars in his hands, and a highly dangerous sword comes out of his mouth, and his face — his face shines like the sun in full strength, and he says to me: Jonathan, don’t fear. He says … don’t fear!
I am the first and the last — he says — the living one.
I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (verse 18)
Fear-conquering authority. Cities Church, don’t forget that. See him. Jesus has something to say to us because Jesus has fear-conquering authority.
The third reason why Jesus addresses these churches is because:
#3. Jesus cares about these churches.
And this last part is the most practical reason we have these letters to the seven churches. Jesus rules a world-conquering kingdom and he possesses fear-conquering authority, but he mainly, most practically, has something to say to these churches because he cares about them.
Remember that Jesus in all his glory and power and might, is also Jesus who says,
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and he says:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28–29)
It matters to Jesus what happens in the local church. He takes an interest; he leans in; and he watches and tracks and keeps up with what’s going on, and he has thoughts about local churches.
Which means, Jesus knows all about Cities Church. He sees and knows everything about us … and he has thoughts about us.
And we don’t exactly what they are right now, but we do have these letters — these prophetic messages — to the seven churches that are in Asia.
And what Jesus says to these churches is relevant for our church. So we infer that the things Jesus says to these churches could be things that he says to us, and so we read them that way.
And now we’re in Part Two. The what.
Part Two: What Does Jesus Say to the Church at Ephesus?
Today we’re going to focus on Ephesus in Chapter 2, verses 1–7, but there’s a pattern we see in each of these churches. And I’ll spare you the chart, but almost every column gets filled out:
the specific church is addressed.
there is a description of Jesus.
Jesus commends the church.
Jesus rebukes the church.
Jesus gives a solution to the rebuke.
Jesus gives a high-stakes warning
Jesus makes a promise for those who conquer
This is how that goes for Ephesus:
First, Jesus is talking to the church at Ephesus. And this is the Ephesus we know from elsewhere in the New Testament. The apostle Paul spent a lot of time there (we see in the Book of Acts); and he wrote a letter to them (the Book of Ephesians); and this is where Timothy was stationed when Paul wrote to him in the Books of 1-2 Timothy. And later, tradition says Ephesus is where the apostle John served. So we know about Ephesus.
Second, Jesus describes himself in verse 1: “The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.”
This is another description of Jesus’s supremacy. In Chapter 1, verse 20, Jesus tells us the seven stars are the seven angels of each church, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. So to hold these stars in his right hand, and to walk among these lampstands, shows us that Jesus is sovereignly present. He’s in control and he’s close.
And third, he commends the church at Ephesus, and overall, their virtue has to do with their doctrinal alertness. Verse 2: “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance.” This church is intolerant of evil. They are testing and discerning about false teaching. In verse 6 Jesus says this church shares his hatred for the works of the Nicolatians — and we have some evidence as to who these false teachers were, but the Greek word literally means “people-conquerors” and so whatever the details were, Jesus hated them, and it’s good that we hate what Jesus hates.
The church at Ephesus did that. And there’s a grittiness here. They patiently endure; they bear up for Jesus’s glory; they are strong in faith; they do not grow weary — and personally, when I read this, I’m thinking: “Heck, yeah, Ephesus! Let’s go!” I want us to be like that! Jesus commends the doctrinal alertness of this church.
But then fourth, there’s also a rebuke. Verse 4: “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”
Now what does that mean? Is Jesus talking about love for another, or love for him or what? What kind of love does he mean? Well, I think the best explanation is that this is loss of love for Jesus expressed in the church’s lack of witness for Jesus to the outside world. (See Greg Beale).
This church is really good at doctrinal purity and keeping their own house in order, but they’ve forgotten their calling to be a light in the world around them. We hear an echo of what Jesus warned about in Matthew 24 when he talked about the end-times.
He says there that “the love of many will grow cold,” and then he exhorts us to endure, and then he says, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (see Matthew 24:12–14).
So Jesus puts endurance and witness in contrast to the loss of love. That’s the same connection here in Revelation 2. This is also most likely why we see this image of the lampstand (see Revelation 11:3–7, 10). The church is to be a city on a hill, the light of the world (see Matthew 24:13–16). Yes, we must embrace sound doctrine, but that’s for the purpose of making Jesus known out there. The church at Ephesus had abandoned the love they had at first by neglecting that witness. That’s the rebuke.
And so fifth, the solution is to repent. Verse 5: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” What hope!
The solution is simply to stop and change. And Jesus gives that solution because it’s possible. We can do that.
And sixth, it’s very high-stakes that we do that, because, if we don’t, Jesus says he’s going to remove the lampstand. Because what’s the point of a lamp if you hide is under a bushel? If you keep hiding the lamp, Jesus will just be done with lamp. (see Matthew 5:15) Hello!
Reminder to the church at Ephesus, and every local church there has ever been, Jesus doesn’t actually need you. He loves you! He cares for you! But he’s not desperate for you, just like he’s not desperate for anything. His eyes are like a flame of fire.
So hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Jesus has something to say, and the last thing to say, the seventh thing, is this promise:
To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Yes, that tree of life is the one from Genesis. Yes, that paradise is the renewed Eden of a new creation where we will be with God. And yes, the one who conquers is you.
It’s you, church, who endure in faith through tribulation. Jesus gives you this promise: you will be with him forever.
That’s what Jesus says to Ephesus.
We’ve seen why Jesus addresses the churches. We’ve seen what Jesus says to Ephesus. Finally, Part Three:
Part Three: How Do We Live in Light of What Jesus Says?
These are three straightforward, good old-fashioned points of application. We’re not gonna spend a ton of time expounding these, but they’re an extension of what Jesus has said to the church at Ephesus, and I’m saying them directly to our church, Cities Church, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty One.
#1. Live like Jesus is worth our bearing up in hard seasons.
Anybody know what a hard season is? Patient endurance, bearing up, not growing weary — whatever gear of life that is required in the midst of hardship; the need for us to go hard when it gets hard — that is for the sake of the name of Jesus. And so we do it.
A friend of mine recently shared this quote with me: “Even when the cost is supreme, the joy is triumphant because the cause of Christ cannot fail.” Jesus is worth it, no matter what. Live like he is.
#2. Refuse to choose between deepening our theological understanding and telling somebody about Jesus.
Jesus commends the church at Ephesus because of their doctrinal alertness; the rebuke had to do with their loss of love for Jesus in witnessing. And we can assume that there is some connection between the two — that churches who are serious about sound doctrine tend to be churches who are poor in evangelism … because there’s so much focus on the health of the inside that we forget about what’s going on outside.
And so when we think that way we create this dichotomy between doctrine and witness, between knowledge and affections, and if we keep running with that, we will think we have to choose between the two. Are we going to be about sound doctrine or about making Jesus known? I just wanna say, Yes.
We refuse to choose between the two. Do both. Study your Bible and share the gospel with your co-worker. Read that theology book with your Life Group and tell your unbelieving neighbor what Jesus has done in your life.
The solution for the church at Ephesus was not to stop being so doctrinal in order to let their light shine. It was simply to let their light shine! Both must happen together. So let’s do that this year.
This year we are going to learn and grow together as a church in becoming more like Jesus, and let’s commit to telling people about Jesus.
#3. Let us continually humble ourselves before the realness of Jesus.
I said earlier that Jesus knows all about Cities Church. He sees and knows everything about our us, and he has thoughts about us …
… and although we don’t know precisely what they are, the very fact that we know Jesus knows us, that he cares about us and sees us and he has thoughts about us — that alone should humble us like nothing else can.
You think he knows if we’re missing something?
Does he know if we’re doing our best?
Does he know if our best is good enough?
You think he knows if we’re tired?
Does he know our fears?
Does he know if we’re gonna make it?
Yeah, he knows. His eyes are like a flame of fire.
And what do we do with that?
We fall at his feet as though dead. Humbled.
But then he puts his hand on us — nail-scarred hands. Because “he loves us and has freed us from our sin by his blood” — and that’s what brings us to the Table, which is another visual.
The Table
The bread here represents the broken body of Jesus; the cup represents his shed blood — and together, as we remember his death for us, we remember his love. Not past love. Not historical event love. But present, active love: “To him who loves us.”
And so we eat and drink together to give him thanks as the covenant members of this local church, Cities Church, but if you’re with us and you trust in Jesus, if you are united to him by faith, if you know he loves you, we invite you to share in this table.
His body is the true bread. His blood is the true drink. Amen.
