Revelation Revealed Pt 3
Revelation Revealed
Pt 3
Text: Revelation 2
Ephesus was located in what is now known as the western part of the nation of Turkey.
It was located along the western coast of Asia Minor.
Because of its location near the sea coast Ephesus was easily accessible by both land and sea.
A population of between 200,000 and 250,000 made it the best choice for capital of all of Asia Minor.
Ephesus was a center for occult worship.
This was Satan territory and when Paul shows up and starts pushing back the darkness, Satan begins to get nervous.
Though Paul shows up on the scene and confronts the idolatry there was still a lingering of the “old life” from when people followed and trusted Artemis.
Some scholars call it a “spirit of secularism.”
The mindsets and the thinking of the secular community had infiltrated the church, mainly because many in the church had come out of the secular lifestyle that looked to the Goddess Diana for it’s guidance.
Acts 19 tells us that while Paul was in Ephesus God used him to heal the sick and perform unusual miracles.
Handkerchiefs and aprons were even used to as an instrument to bring healing to people.
It wasn’t long until Jewish exorcist began to try to use the same powers to do the same things.
They were confronted by the evil spirits because they lacked the power.
When the exorcist used the name of Jesus, they did not necessarily know Jesus, but they knew Paul used His name and it worked.
They wanted the same results without the same power.
The demons recognized the name of Jesus and the name of Paul, but not the men.
Long before Christianity infiltrated the culture of Ephesus, idolatry was much alive.
Goddess Artemis and Goddess Diana created a great deal of income for the economy of Ephesus.
When Paul arrived in Ephesus he waste no time confronting the idolatry.
His reputation had gone before him and the people knew he was a threat to their ways of thinking.
Acts 19 shines light on the struggles that Paul faced with the shrines. Verses 24-28 give us just a glimpse of what Paul was facing,
“24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”
Paul was more than likely not the first to bring the Christian message to Ephesus, however, he was the first willing to confront the idolatry.
After he confronted Diana, the shrines and worship of the idols fell off.
Christianity became the main religion around 262 A.D. after the temple of Diana was burned down and not rebuilt.
Ephesians played a very important role in scripture. Acts 18-20, Ephesians and Revelation all shine light on the importance of the church in Ephesus.
Paul’s third missionary journey is recorded in Acts 18:23-20:38.
In total, Paul’s ministry in Ephesus lasted for three years. Paul later writes to the church at Ephesus while he was in prison.
The letter to Ephesus was believed by some to be for all of the churches because some of the “better” manuscripts do not include “en Epheso.”
The church at Ephesus is also mentioned in the book of Revelation.
Though it was considered to be the most spiritual of the churches, it still left its first love.
The temple of Diana was at one time considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world. Paul’s confrontation of the goddess quickly cause conversions from idolatry to Christianity.
While Paul, Timothy, John and others were in Ephesus it seemed to do well spiritually, however, soon the city declined spiritually causing the Lord to, “remove the candle stick.”
What would cause God to remove His candlestick?
What is meant by, “left first love”?
These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
He sees the works. He sees the patience, He sees all the good you do. He sees that you a stand for truth and don’t compromise.
And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
He sees your faith and perseverance.
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
What are the first works.
But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.“‘
The term “overcome” (nikaō) plays an important role in Revelation.
To the “victorious” or “overcomers” in each congregation Jesus promises future blessings: eternal life, provision, justice, participation in Christ’s victory, and the very presence of God.
Their lack of love for people would have been a sure indicator of a deeper spiritual problem.
In God’s kingdom, truth and love are woven together.
Truth without love becomes little more than a cold demonstration of power, and love without truth ceases to be genuine love; both are relational disasters.
Robert Mounce puts it, “Without love the congregation ceases to be a church.”
From “Teach The Text” commentary,
“The term Nicolaitans means “victorious over the people” or “victory people” and probably captures a wordplay on the important word nikaō used throughout Revelation, which calls Christians to “overcome” or “conquer.”
The Nicolaitans are a group of false teachers closely connected to the cults of Balaam (2:14) and Jezebel (2:20–23), who are trying to redefine the faith to allow Christians to fit in with (and perhaps profit from) the surrounding culture with its idolatry, immorality, deceit, and false worship.
Jesus states that he too “hates” the practices of these false teachers.
God’s people must conquer by following God’s ways.
Again, bad theology hurts people, his people!
Consequently, these believers should not swing to the other extreme and give up truth in the rekindling of their love.”
Or maybe you are in an “Ephesian” church.
There are Bible studies galore in the church and in homes.
They have several talented worship teams that rotate from Sunday to Sunday.
They hold numerous services simultaneously, maybe even on different campuses, with the sermons streamed in via video.
They run training classes for Christian growth and leadership, have men’s and women’s groups, parking-lot attendants, happy greeters, food pantries, and a large missions budget.
These can all be strong elements of an active church.
But sometimes Christian activities can keep believers from spending time with Christ.
Churches can be so full of things to do that there is no time for the people to simply be with the Lord.
The Bible studies are big enough to move into the sanctuary.
The prayer night, though, is relegated to a small children’s classroom where all the participants are forced to sit on the tiny toddler chairs.
Tickets need to be distributed so that everyone is assured a seat at the special guest concert, but the leader of the worship and contemplation evening has to ask everyone to move to the center section of the sanctuary so that the room doesn’t feel quite so empty.
This doesn’t just happen to churches.
It can also happen in us.
I’ve often heard it said that 10 percent of the church does 90 percent of the work, and I’m inclined to believe it.
While we should be ever grateful for those 10 percent, they need to beware of being so busy for God that they lose touch with God.
If you find yourself so diligent with church ministry that you run out of time for personal prayer and time in the Word, then you are sacrificing the great at the altar of the good.
If service is not built on a foundation of close daily time with God, it becomes inevitable that bitterness, anger, territorialism, and wrong motives will creep in.
Jesus taught the great “doer” Martha this truth when He said of her sister Mary that “one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).
What was that one thing?
Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus, learning to love Him by being in His presence.”
- the location of the church,
- the One addressing the church,
- what Jesus knows about the church,
- a word of encouragement to all but two churches,
- a rebuke to all but two churches,
- a challenge to repent to all but two churches, and
- a promise to the faithful.
Ephesus was located in what is now known as the western part of the nation of Turkey.
It was located along the western coast of Asia Minor.
Because of its location near the sea coast Ephesus was easily accessible by both land and sea.
A population of between 200,000 and 250,000 made it the best choice for capital of all of Asia Minor.
Ephesus was a center for occult worship.
This was Satan territory and when Paul shows up and starts pushing back the darkness, Satan begins to get nervous.
Though Paul shows up on the scene and confronts the idolatry there was still a lingering of the “old life” from when people followed and trusted Artemis.
Some scholars call it a “spirit of secularism.”
The mindsets and the thinking of the secular community had infiltrated the church, mainly because many in the church had come out of the secular lifestyle that looked to the Goddess Diana for it’s guidance.
Acts 19 tells us that while Paul was in Ephesus God used him to heal the sick and perform unusual miracles.
Handkerchiefs and aprons were even used to as an instrument to bring healing to people.
It wasn’t long until Jewish exorcist began to try to use the same powers to do the same things.
They were confronted by the evil spirits because they lacked the power.
When the exorcist used the name of Jesus, they did not necessarily know Jesus, but they knew Paul used His name and it worked.
They wanted the same results without the same power.
The demons recognized the name of Jesus and the name of Paul, but not the men.
Long before Christianity infiltrated the culture of Ephesus, idolatry was much alive.
Goddess Artemis and Goddess Diana created a great deal of income for the economy of Ephesus.
When Paul arrived in Ephesus he waste no time confronting the idolatry.
His reputation had gone before him and the people knew he was a threat to their ways of thinking.
Acts 19 shines light on the struggles that Paul faced with the shrines. Verses 24-28 give us just a glimpse of what Paul was facing,
“24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”
Paul was more than likely not the first to bring the Christian message to Ephesus, however, he was the first willing to confront the idolatry.
After he confronted Diana, the shrines and worship of the idols fell off.
Christianity became the main religion around 262 A.D. after the temple of Diana was burned down and not rebuilt.
Ephesians played a very important role in scripture. Acts 18-20, Ephesians and Revelation all shine light on the importance of the church in Ephesus.
Paul’s third missionary journey is recorded in Acts 18:23-20:38.
In total, Paul’s ministry in Ephesus lasted for three years. Paul later writes to the church at Ephesus while he was in prison.
The letter to Ephesus was believed by some to be for all of the churches because some of the “better” manuscripts do not include “en Epheso.”
The church at Ephesus is also mentioned in the book of Revelation.
Though it was considered to be the most spiritual of the churches, it still left its first love.
The temple of Diana was at one time considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world. Paul’s confrontation of the goddess quickly cause conversions from idolatry to Christianity.
While Paul, Timothy, John and others were in Ephesus it seemed to do well spiritually, however, soon the city declined spiritually causing the Lord to, “remove the candle stick.”
What would cause God to remove His candlestick?
What is meant by, “left first love”?
These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
He sees the works. He sees the patience, He sees all the good you do. He sees that you a stand for truth and don’t compromise.
And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
He sees your faith and perseverance.
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
What are the first works.
But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.“‘
The term “overcome” (nikaō) plays an important role in Revelation.
To the “victorious” or “overcomers” in each congregation Jesus promises future blessings: eternal life, provision, justice, participation in Christ’s victory, and the very presence of God.
- Jesus Christ is powerful over and present with his people.
- Our deeds are important, including the hard work of contending for the truth of the faith.
- We should place high value on enduring faithfulness to Jesus in the midst of a pagan environment.
- This passage stresses an absolute need to retain biblical love in our pursuit of truth.
- Jesus promises eternal life to those who overcome.
Their lack of love for people would have been a sure indicator of a deeper spiritual problem.
In God’s kingdom, truth and love are woven together.
Truth without love becomes little more than a cold demonstration of power, and love without truth ceases to be genuine love; both are relational disasters.
Robert Mounce puts it, “Without love the congregation ceases to be a church.”
From “Teach The Text” commentary,
“The term Nicolaitans means “victorious over the people” or “victory people” and probably captures a wordplay on the important word nikaō used throughout Revelation, which calls Christians to “overcome” or “conquer.”
The Nicolaitans are a group of false teachers closely connected to the cults of Balaam (2:14) and Jezebel (2:20–23), who are trying to redefine the faith to allow Christians to fit in with (and perhaps profit from) the surrounding culture with its idolatry, immorality, deceit, and false worship.
Jesus states that he too “hates” the practices of these false teachers.
God’s people must conquer by following God’s ways.
Again, bad theology hurts people, his people!
Consequently, these believers should not swing to the other extreme and give up truth in the rekindling of their love.”
Or maybe you are in an “Ephesian” church.
There are Bible studies galore in the church and in homes.
They have several talented worship teams that rotate from Sunday to Sunday.
They hold numerous services simultaneously, maybe even on different campuses, with the sermons streamed in via video.
They run training classes for Christian growth and leadership, have men’s and women’s groups, parking-lot attendants, happy greeters, food pantries, and a large missions budget.
These can all be strong elements of an active church.
But sometimes Christian activities can keep believers from spending time with Christ.
Churches can be so full of things to do that there is no time for the people to simply be with the Lord.
The Bible studies are big enough to move into the sanctuary.
The prayer night, though, is relegated to a small children’s classroom where all the participants are forced to sit on the tiny toddler chairs.
Tickets need to be distributed so that everyone is assured a seat at the special guest concert, but the leader of the worship and contemplation evening has to ask everyone to move to the center section of the sanctuary so that the room doesn’t feel quite so empty.
This doesn’t just happen to churches.
It can also happen in us.
I’ve often heard it said that 10 percent of the church does 90 percent of the work, and I’m inclined to believe it.
While we should be ever grateful for those 10 percent, they need to beware of being so busy for God that they lose touch with God.
If you find yourself so diligent with church ministry that you run out of time for personal prayer and time in the Word, then you are sacrificing the great at the altar of the good.
If service is not built on a foundation of close daily time with God, it becomes inevitable that bitterness, anger, territorialism, and wrong motives will creep in.
Jesus taught the great “doer” Martha this truth when He said of her sister Mary that “one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).
What was that one thing?
Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus, learning to love Him by being in His presence.”
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