The book of Revelation contains 7 letters to 7 churches with a common thread inviting the reader to pay attention to what the Spirit has written. The first letter to the church in Ephesus highlights the high degree of discernment practiced by the believers in Ephesus, but Jesus also reveals the callousness of their hearts to have fallen from a life of love. We will seek to show that the solution is finding the right balance between both discernment and Christlike compassion and love.
Observations & Conclusions:
1. Your church will encounter false teachings from outside and from inside
2. You must be intolerant of false teachers and false teachings
3. If unchecked, intolerance will cause your love for God to grow cold
4. A cold love for God results in a cold love for others
Application:
1. Remain: Persevere and be discerning about false teachings and endure the cultural tides
2. Remember: What did worship look like for you when you first believed?
3. Repent: Decide to turn
4. Return: Add to your discernment by showing your love for God by “imitating” God and “living a life of love”
5. Receive: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches
Acts 20:29-31
“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.”
John 13:35
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
1 John 4:20
“If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”
Matthew 24:10-13
“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Luke 20:45-47
“While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”