"Seven" week 3

Joy’s Notes:

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A LETTER:

STORY- Jason letter story (“God loves you & has a purpose & plan for your life!” -taped on the inside of his main folder!

⁃ 2 cor 3:2-3 “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

You ARE the letter to the church!

—————

why LETTERS TO these particular seven?

• There were many more important churches in this first century Jewish culture!

BUT Jesus picked these 7 Churches specifically for their spiritual conditions.

• Just about every problem & wrong doctrine is addressed here— this is for the UNIVERSAL CHURCH

• Jesus is talking to us personally about our spiritual condition right now– Our Body is the Temple of God!

• ALL 7 Letters are a LOVE LETTER to His bride.

• true biblical love= shares truth that leads to repentance that has no regret (2 cor 7:10)

• Worldly love =“come as you are, stay as you are. Jesus accepts you just as you are; & so do I!”

————

HISTORY:

• Ancient Ephesus was a large, prosperous, and beautiful city, located near the coast of modern day Turkey, (then known as the city of Asia.)

• It was Las Vegas on steroids.

• The city was built around the temple worship of the god: Artemis— the goddess of fertility, the “many-breasted” one.

• Worship to this goddess consisted of wild orgies and drunkenness.

• Alexander the Great rebuilt this Temple into the largest Greek Temple— one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.

• Yet this is the very place Paul preach for 3 years .

• While in prison in Rome (60AD) Paul wrote a letter to the believers here, the Book of Ephesians.

• John moved to Ephesus in 66AD with Mary, the mother of Jesus and was elder of the Church here for 30 years, writing the Gospel of John & John I, 2, 3

• After exile on the island of Patmos, he returned here with the Book of Revelation and lived until his death.

• Both Mary and John are buried in Ephesus.

• Timothy was the pastor of Ephesus & John was the bishop!

————

Rev1:1

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus.”

• the “angel” is the one of the 7 lights in Jesus’ right hand!

Here : the “angel” is being used as a MESSENGER!

A N G E L S:

• angels: “sent to earth by God to convey messages. “

• Angels are mentioned over 300x in Bible

• some say these “angels” are “human messengers” God uses

👉When an angel appears in Bible, first words out of mouth are often “do not be afraid.” (Luke 1:26-33)

• They are glorious beings, but they are NOT to be worshipped or prayed to. 

👇

• In Rev 19:19– John encountered an angel in a vision and fell at his feet to worship him. “But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!”

• Revelation 5:11

“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.”

• Heb 13:2

“Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained ANGELS without realizing it!

• 👉We could interact with an angel and not even know it!

• “for He will order His angels to protect you (guard you) wherever you go.” Psalm 91:11

——

Rev 2:1

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of HIM who holds the seven stars (the angels) in his right hand & walks among the seven golden lampstands” (the church)

• That angel is in the palm of God’s RIGHT hand! The same hand ON you!

• Jesus WALKS among the 7 lamp stands (aka= chuch’s) (aka= us!)

👇

• 1 cor 3:16 “ don’t you know that you yourself are Gods temple, and that God’s spirit dwells in your midst!?”

________

Rev 2:2-3

“I know your deeds: (the things you do)

1. your hard work.

2. your perseverance.

3. Your refusal to tolerate wicked people,

4. you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. (False prophets exposed)

5. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.

👇👇

1. Hard work

2. Persevered

3. Intolerant of evil

4. Expose False prophets

5. Patiently suffered (for Christ)

Matt 7:22-23 “He will say to me, Lord, Lord! We prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name.

But I will reply, “I never KNEW you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.”

_________

Rev 2:4

“But I have this complaint against you:

‘You have ABANDONED your FIRST love. (Affection of heart)

11:11❤️

• RIGHT ORDER is the PROTECTIVE COATING against satan himself!

👇

• “Love the Lord your GOD with all you heart, mind, soul, strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

• love is FOUNDATIONAL

• 1 john 4:20 =“We love because he first loved us.”

• we are KNOWN by our love

👇

(Not our gifts. Talents. Good works. Tithing, etc) LOVE!!!!

john 13:35

⁃ “your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

But here’s the thing….

👇

LOVE IS A FRUIT— THAT CAN’T BE ARTIFICIALLY PRODUCED .🍒

⁃ any “good-work” we do that doesn’t come from a heart posture of LOVING JESUS— is useless & pointless

👇

Is 64:6

“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

“ if your soul is not most satisfied in the quiet moments with Jesus, then it’ll always be hungry in the public moments with others!”

⁃ Emily Copeland

THIS IS THE WARNING TO EPHESUS☝️

(ABIDING)

• STRAINING vs. ABIDING

• Panic vs. pillow

• Orphan vs. adopted

Psalm 46:10

“ be still and know that I am dad!”

John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

• Ephesus can do NOTHING without knowing their First love & COLLAPSING BY THE WEIGHT OF HIS love

• But it’s easier to work FOR God, then it is to work FROM THE LOVE of God.

But love isn’t BASED on you, it’s simply been PLACED on you.

• If we abandon our “FIRST” love— we’ll find it in a “Fraudulent love” — (Jesus knew would bring destruction to Ephesus church!)

⁃ we were made to worship the One who IS love!

⁃ But we have inordinate affection for others & ourselves!!

⁃ and when God is not our first love, idolatry POLLUTES the heart!

• IDOLATRY = to esteem the created thing over the Creator

1 john 4.16

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love—lives in God, and God in them.”

• Paul once congratulated the church at Ephesus for their love for God and others (EPH 1:15)

👇

• But the founders of Ephesus church died — & 2nd generation believers were more focused on:

WORKING FOR GOD & NOT THROUGH GOD

• EVERYTHING flows through the ROOT system of LOVE.

👇

Eph 3:17- 19 🌳

“….Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.

THEN (& only then) will you be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

W/ out ABIDING love= RELIGION

With ABIDING love= RELATIONSHIP

• A lack of love = is an IDENTITY ISSUE

• A lack of identity= is a LOVE issue

(the reason for an identity crisis in the world — is because we don’t know the lover of our soul!)

👉 when we don’t know the LOVE OF OUR FATHER— we don’t know to WHOM WE BELONG!

🔥We’ve got to LOVE Jesus more than we LOVE the things we’re tempted by!🙌

⁃ in MATT 3:16: Jesus is baptized.

“The heavens opened up & the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove & a voice from heaven said:”

1. This is my son

2. Who is LOVED

3. Who brings me great joy

🔥These 3 TRUTHS are also our truths today!

1. You’re His daughter

2. You’re loved

3. You bring Him great joy

• THE HOLY SPIRIT= pours Gods love into our hearts (just like at Jesus’ baptism) Roman’s 5:5

🔥LOVE becomes the CURE for the INSECURE

This letter (of correction ) IS LOVE!!

👇

• Love isn’t co-signing sin.

• love is calling out the demonic influence & rescuing that person from the flames of hell! (Stephanie example)

👇

• She loved me more than she loved herself in that moment!

🔥”Define yourself as one radically loved by God. This is your true self. Every other identity is just an illusion.” - Brennan Manning

__________

Rev 2:5

“Look how far you have fallen! “

• Recognition = leads to revival!

• There is no REVIVAL without REPENTANCE!

Let God…

• Collect dots

• Connect dots (what lie am I believing about God?)

• Correct dots. (Truth)

⁃ Jesus’ FIRST command: “REPENT!”

⁃ Peter— repent for times of refreshment!!!

⁃ John Baptist— repent-kingdom of Heaven is near!

⁃ Pool of Bethesda= “stop sinning!”

⁃ Woman stoning= “go & sin no more!”

Psalm 139:23 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

👆

(DAILY JOURNAL ENTRY)

Rev 2:5 cont…

“Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.” (REPENT)

If you don’t repent— I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.

🔥 when you SEE Jesus, REPENTANCE is Impulsive!!

• REPENT— of your striving (wow!)

• how many of you knew STRIVING was a sin???

“God doesn’t hate sin because it breaks a rule.

God hates sin because it breaks you!” (- Kristy M)

— and STRAINING will BREAK you!

• REPENTANCE is a life style = It’s an intentional turning (180)

• “keep your record short” - bob Shirock

⁃ 🐗 STORY— Arizona garbage (wild boar)

⁃ give the garbage to God to keep the “wild viscous pig” away!!!

• Luke 15:5-6 “And when he has found it (the lost sheep) He will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found MY lost sheep.”

• The city of Ephesus today is in ruins. No one lives there: the light in the church has been blown out!

__________

Rev 2:6

“But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans (nico-lie-tins) just as I do“

• HATE — they’re being applauded for hating!

HATE

• Luke 14:26 Jesus tells us to “hate” our brothers, sisters, parents,” etc. if we want to follow him.

• He wasn’t referring to a person (just like he wasn’t referring to our parents, siblings, spouse as a person to hate)— but hate the spirit behind the persons actions or inordinate position we’ve placed them in.

• If I love someone more than God— it’s an inordinate affection & I’ve placed them on Gods throne.

• God calls us to HATE what is evil !

Prov 8:13

“All who fear the LORD will HATE evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”

⁃ do you HATE evil? (But LOVE the sinner?)

Psalm 97:10

“You who love the LORD, HATE evil!

Amos 5:15

“HATE evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.“

• Little is known by scholars of the NICOLAITIANS (nico-lie-tins)

⁃ but the point is : the “church” should be cautious of any “new” progressive teaching , new ideas & new practices that aren’t’ biblically aligned.

• 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”

——————

Rev 2:7

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

• ALL 7 letters end with “ anyone with ears to hear MUST listen to the Spirit & understand what He is saying to the church’s (to you.)

• the Pharisees DID NOT have ears to hear (ears of the heart)

• daily pray for Ears to Hear!

🌳“To everyone who is “victorious:” (a victorious life is being loved and loving well)

I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

👇

STORY OF NO FRUIT— MATT 21:19

🍎🌳 “fruit from a tree”

👇

• when there’s NO FRUIT (LOVE) we’ll use the fig leaves to hide.

• But when there’s FRUIT (LOVE) we’ll use the fig leaves for healing

Ez 47:12

Rev 22:2

🌳 in the TEMPLE OF ARTIMES (in Ephesus) there was a significant TREE in the garden.

🌳 criminals who could make it to the tree- would be free from capture & punishment.

🌳Jesus is letting them know He has the ONLY TREE OF LIFE THAT SETS THE CRIMINAL FREE!!

🌳 He died in a TREE that would set the criminal free!

🌳REV 22:1-2 “Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

It flowed down the center of the main street.

On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month.

The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

—————

QUESTIONS:

How does it make you feel to realize Jesus’ first priority in your life is to “not lose your first love.” How could this change the way you live life?

How has this letter to Ephesus spoke personally to your heart?