Sermon 21st February 2016

In the season of Lent, we will be urged to listen to the messages that Jesus sent to selected churches in First Century Asia. 

Today, our Honorary Assistant Minister, Gill Tayleur, looks as Jesus' messages to Ephesus. 

The reading is from Revelation 2:1-7.

At the end of the service, a visiting preacher was standing at the back of the church greeting people and shaking hands as they left. After a few adults had filed past, he came upon Johnny, the 7 year old son of the vicar. "Good morning, young man," the preacher said as he shook Johnny’s hand. As he did so he felt something in the palm of the boy’s hand, a coin. "What's this?" the preacher asked. "Money," said Johnny with a big smile on his face, "It's for you!" "I don't want to take your money," the preacher answered.
"I want you to have it," said Johnny, "My daddy says you're the poorest preacher we ever had and I want to help you."

I wonder, what do people think of this church, of St Saviour’s/ St Paul’s?!

Most people have an opinion about their local church and about the church in general. They may think it’s old fashioned, out of touch, it’s boring, it’s too high, too low, too happy clappy, too charismatic. And/or they may think it’s friendly, lively, a good influence, and place of support.

It can be interesting, and often salutary, to find out what others say about the church, whether they’re people who never come near, or people who do.

But there’s one opinion that’s more important than any other. What if we could find out what God thinks of the church?! What if we knew what Jesus Christ himself, thinks of the church, of this church?!

This new series based on some of the early chapters of the book of Revelation, tell us just that. They contain 7 messages from Jesus to 7 churches in ancient Asia, sharp and pointed messages that speak of which aspects of church life Jesus approved of, and which aspects he criticised. These messages given to the first century church, give us an understanding of what Jesus expected from his church then, and surely now in the 21^st century too.

Before we look at the first message though, we need to see its context. Two weeks ago Cameron introduced us to this book of Revelation. It’s the account of a revelation, a vision, given by Jesus, to John, most likely the same John who was a disciple of Jesus. It happened in about AD95, a time of terrible persecution of the early church. John had escaped with his life but had been banished for his faith to the island of Patmos, 35 miles off what’s now Turkey, for hard labour breaking rocks. And it was there that this revelation came to him from Jesus. It’s an extraordinary complex vision, picture, filled with vivid symbolic imagery, of the final battle between good and evil, the supreme triumph of God at the end of time, and of the new heaven and earth God will ultimately recreate.

The beginning of the vision or revelation from Jesus is described in chapter 1 and it’s the context for the messages to the churches we’re going to look at. There were 7 golden lampstands and the Son of Man, Jesus himself, walking among them, described in shining glory. The lampstands represent the churches, which perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise, as in the gospels Jesus tells his followers to shine in the world with his light and truth and love. In Matthew 5 Jesus said:

“You are the light of the world… People don’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So the lampstands in the vision represent the churches, and the fact that there’s 7 of them may well be significant as in the Bible the number 7 often indicates completeness and perfection. So it has been argued, these 7 churches were specific but they’re also symbolic and representative of all churches in all times.

In chapter 1 verse 1 it says:

“This book is the record of the events that Jesus Christ revealed. God gave him this revelation in order to show his servants what must happen very soon.”

God gave John this revelation from Jesus for his servants, for the church, and if we count ourselves as servants of God, then we too had better pay attention! J

Each of the 7 messages ends with these words:

“If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!”

We have ears, and we need to listen! These messages are relevant to us today, to St Saviour’s and St Paul’s, to the Parish of Herne Hill!

So, let’s listen very carefully to the first message, to the church in Ephesus. Back in the 1^st century, Ephesus was most important city in the whole of what’s now western Turkey. It was a centre of travel and trade, a very busy seaport, with major roads heading east, north and south and a population of about 300,000. In Ephesus there was a huge renowned temple of Artemis or Diana, one of the wonders of the ancient world. Against the background of this pagan temple, the apostle Paul, Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila, and Timothy had all poured spiritual energy and life into the Ephesian church.

So, what was Jesus’ message for the church in Ephesus?

First, there’s a compliment. Verses 2 and 3: “I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked”

The Ephesian church worked hard; they had a lot of energy! The message from Jesus in verse 2 was I know about your hard work – the Greek word (I’m told) is kopos, toil or labour, work that makes you sweat! People in the Ephesian church were willing to put in the effort, to put themselves out, to work hard to do all the things the early church did: to preach and teach, to evangelise, to care for the poor, the widows and orphans, to give and serve in many different ways.

Jesus gives them credit for what they do and how hard they work at it. He praises their effort.

What about us in this church, you and me? Is hard work, work that makes you sweat, a good description of your role in this church? Are you quick to volunteer to serve, and really put the effort in?

Actually there aren’t many roles that involve actual sweat but there is possibly one – putting out the chairs and platform for worship on a Saturday night or Sunday morning! And more volunteers are needed for that!

Maybe you do work hard, in Children’s Church, or serving the coffee, getting out the chairs, watching over the playground, or representing the parish at Deanery Synod –

you can be encouraged by these words of praise from Jesus – he does know what you do!

The church in Ephesus was complimented, first, for their hard work. Then in verses 2 and 3, Jesus praises them for their endurance. “I know how patient you have been. You have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up.”

The Ephesian Christians weren’t quitters, they held on, they hung in, for Jesus’ sake, despite the massive personal cost of persecution.

What about us in this church, you and me? Could we be said to be patient, and not give up? Or do we let things slip when they’re difficult, when there’s resistance, or when we’re weary? Do we keep on keeping on, through thick and thin?

And finally the church in Ephesus is complimented for one more thing, for their Christian orthodoxy. For their ability to recognise and draw a clear line between those who were real followers of Jesus and those who were not. Verse 2 again: “I know that you cannot tolerate evil men and that you have tested those that say they are apostles but are not, and have found out that they are liars.”

And again, in verse 6 we read about a group called the Nicolations, whose behaviour was evil, and the Ephesians spotted that and rejected those practices.

The Ephesian church’s faith was well defined and well defended.

What about us in this church, you and me? These days there are still wrong attitudes, wrong behaviours, that need to be resisted, as we stand up for the truth. How well do we do that? It’s so much easier to go along with the crowd, to try and blend in, and not stick out or make a fuss when something wrong is going on. So much easier to leave untruth unchallenged, whether it’s something about God or faith, or perhaps something racist. Do we weigh up attitudes and things we hear against Biblical godly truth and make a stand when that’s appropriate?

So, first a compliment – that the Ephesian church was energetic, strong and ‘sound’!

But after the compliment, a criticism, and a devastating one at that. In verse 4 “But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now as you did at first. Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins and do what you did at first.”

Ouch. “This is what I have against you” Jesus says, “you do not love me now as you did at first.” Love has grown cold!

I think this can happen both corporately, and individually. I heard this week of a charitable organisation, a housing trust, that was set up by a group of churches a long time ago, but over the years, the links with the churches grew weaker and weaker, until now it has nothing to do with any church or Christian group at all. It’s still going, but no longer expresses God’s love in the way it did at first. That might be an example of where a group does not love as it did at first.

What about us in this church, you and me, together and individually?

Could it be that our love for God and his son Jesus has cooled off a bit? Or a lot?!

Has our Christian life become mechanical rather than loving?

Has our love and worshipful relationship with God, become simply being busy for him?

Is the sense of wonder and gratitude for God’s love and forgiveness, strong, or is it slipping away?

Do we leave Sunday worship irritated with the imperfections of the preacher, or the choice of songs or hymns, or having met with the living God?
Are we more critical than we used to be, of others in church, and more impatient of their weaknesses?

Is our service of others fuelled by kindness and care, or by an increasingly resentful sense of duty?

Are we more motivated to please ourselves than please God?

[These questions apply very much to me too, of course.]

You do not love me now as you did at first.

Love, the one quality without which all others are worthless.

Is your love for God and others growing cold?

If you recognise yourself in any of this, and I very much include myself in these challenges, then what do we do about it? Jesus’ message to the church in Ephesus tells us what to do – in the words of a command.

The compliment then, was followed by the criticism. And now by the command.

In verse 5 “Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins and do what you did at first.”

How do we grow our love for God and his son Jesus? In 3 ways: Think, turn and DO.

Think about what it used to be like! Remember those times when God seemed close,

perhaps when you first committed your life to him, when faith was first real for you,

or maybe when you experienced God’s presence or peace in a special way. Use your spiritual memory to relive the best times! Think!

Then, “Turn from your sins, or repent.  Repent of not loving as you used to! Other translations of the Bible say repent of forsaking your first love!” Forsaking means abandoning or betraying, strong language for when our love of God goes tepid and half hearted, when we’re just going through the motions.

But we need to acknowledge and take responsibility for the situation, and truly be and say sorry to God, earnestly seeking his forgiveness and mercy.

And as you’ve probably heard lots of times before, repentance then means behaving differently. It means turning around and moving in the opposite direction. We need to deal with whatever or whoever might have been contributing to our cold heartedness. If we’re not sure, we can ask God to show us, to pinpoint what has caused our love for him to wane.

So we think, we turn, and finally we DO! “Do what you did at first.”

We do the things that will re-ignite our love, our enthusiasm, our single heartedness, for God.

DO actually get round to reading the Bible and to praying.

DO spend time with godly people who will encourage and be a good influence on you!

DO go along to a home group, for that – a group of people in the parish who meet in someone’s home to think more about faith and their lives, and to support one another. Have a word with me afterwards to find out more.

DO get involved with serving and loving others, in the church and outside. There are heaps of opportunities for service, listed in this booklet at the back.

DO be generous in acts of love, from the Love Life Live Lent booklet – available at the back of church – and in supporting our Lent appeals. Money contributions are invited for projects in Palestine and Zimbabwe, 2 places of desperate need. Tinned food contributions are invited for the Kings College Hospital Home Hamper Scheme. Details about both are at the back.

DO some of these things!

So, what about us in this church, you and me?

Compliment, criticism, command.

The message to the church at Ephesus ends with a warning and a promise.

The warning is in verse 5: “If you don’t turn from your sins, I will come to you and take your lampstand from its place.”

The lampstand represents the church remember, so here Jesus is saying if you don’t restore your love for God, the church will die. Its light will go out, the lampstand will be gone. Of course, a church whose love dwindles away, its love for God, and for others, will not thrive; in time it will wither and die. Although there was for several centuries, there is today no church in Ephesus; it’s a huge (and beautiful) ruined city, with no living Christian presence.

What about this church? What will St Saviour’s/ St Paul’s be like in 10, 20 or 50 years’ time? Will it be flourishing, a centre of life? Or will we run down, close down, become a community hall? We’ve recently rebuilt the back of the church to enable us to keep going, and keep growing, for the next hundred years, so that’s the hope, but it’s our love for God and others that will make it happen.

Finally, a promise. In verse 7 Jesus says “To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life that grows in the Garden of God.”

The tree of life is described at the very beginning of the Bible, and at the very end.

It’s in Genesis chapter 1, in the garden of Eden, in the newly made and still perfect world, before there was any sin or pain or death.

The tree of life is described again at the very end of the Bible, in the last chapter, Revelation 22, in the future re-made and re-created perfect heavenly world.

It seems the tree of life represents life more alive, more fulsome, more overflowing, than we can imagine! Eternal life, life with God, with his love and justice and peace and power and presence forever! That’s the promise of Jesus for those who persevere in their faith and love for God.

We’ve heard lots of challenges this morning! But what's the specific personal challenge or challenges to each of us from this letter from Jesus? We think, we turn and finally, we DO!

“If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!”

(With grateful acknowledgement of some of these ideas from David Tuner’s sermon at All Souls Langham Place in 2005)