1 00:00:00,780 --> 00:00:03,380 Now it is a joy to be back 2 00:00:03,380 --> 00:00:06,700 with you again and to share this time 3 00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:08,540 together around Word of God. 4 00:00:10,470 --> 00:00:14,130 As I mentioned last night, for those who 5 00:00:14,130 --> 00:00:18,370 were here, it's our desire to just look 6 00:00:18,370 --> 00:00:21,510 for a little while at the seven churches, 7 00:00:21,510 --> 00:00:25,310 these in Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3. 8 00:00:25,550 --> 00:00:27,490 So I'd suggest that you turn with me, 9 00:00:27,570 --> 00:00:32,050 if you will, to Revelation chapter 2 and 10 00:00:32,050 --> 00:00:33,150 verse 1, please. 11 00:00:33,270 --> 00:00:37,210 Revelation chapter 2 and verse 1. 12 00:00:52,070 --> 00:00:54,610 For those who are staying through the week, 13 00:00:54,730 --> 00:00:58,510 we suggest you read these verses over, these 14 00:00:58,510 --> 00:01:02,510 two chapters, and get them well implanted in 15 00:01:02,510 --> 00:01:05,130 your mind and your heart, and I'm sure 16 00:01:05,130 --> 00:01:07,030 the time together will be that much more 17 00:01:07,030 --> 00:01:12,150 profitable as we meet and study this interesting 18 00:01:12,150 --> 00:01:14,550 and wonderful portion of God's Word. 19 00:01:16,940 --> 00:01:18,600 Verse 1, chapter 2. 20 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,500 unto the angel of the church in Ephesus' 21 00:01:21,780 --> 00:01:22,060 right. 22 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,140 These things saith he that holdeth the seven 23 00:01:26,140 --> 00:01:29,640 stars in his right hand, who walketh in 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,320 the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. 25 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:38,320 I know thy works, and thy labor, and 26 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:39,180 thy patience. 27 00:01:40,740 --> 00:01:42,860 Now thou canst not bear them which are 28 00:01:42,860 --> 00:01:44,820 evil, and thou hast tried them which say 29 00:01:44,820 --> 00:01:46,220 they are apostles, and are not. 30 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:52,060 And hast found them liars, and hast borne, 31 00:01:52,140 --> 00:01:54,620 and hast patience, and for my name's sake 32 00:01:54,620 --> 00:01:57,900 hast labored, and hast not fainted. 33 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:06,720 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou 34 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:08,539 hast left thy first love. 35 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,080 Just a brief word of prayer, please. 36 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,200 Our gracious Father, we thank and praise thee 37 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:22,600 again for thy love to us, thy great 38 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,540 salvation, and above all, our Lord Jesus Christ 39 00:02:26,540 --> 00:02:26,900 himself. 40 00:02:27,740 --> 00:02:32,040 And we ask as we consider this portion 41 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:33,960 of thy word this morning, if thou would 42 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,620 guide and direct by thy Holy Spirit as 43 00:02:36,620 --> 00:02:39,460 we've been singing, Lord, bring the word of 44 00:02:39,460 --> 00:02:42,120 life, dear Lord, to me. 45 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,800 And may our hearts be challenged, each one, 46 00:02:48,060 --> 00:02:50,560 whatever the spiritual need is. 47 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,280 May by the Holy Spirit of God that 48 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:56,820 need be met this morning. 49 00:02:57,640 --> 00:02:59,840 For we pray in our Savior's precious and 50 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:00,500 worthy name. 51 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:01,940 Amen. 52 00:03:01,940 --> 00:03:10,210 Now we want to consider the seven churches 53 00:03:10,210 --> 00:03:15,630 and their practical value for us today. 54 00:03:22,020 --> 00:03:25,520 On one occasion, a dear woman spoke to 55 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:31,100 the preacher after the meeting, and she said 56 00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:32,000 something like this. 57 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:35,300 She said, I really enjoyed all that you 58 00:03:35,300 --> 00:03:36,540 had to say today. 59 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,300 She said, in fact, every point that you 60 00:03:42,300 --> 00:03:47,720 made fitted all my Christian friends. 61 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,080 And I think that when we often turn 62 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:54,520 to the word of God or listen to 63 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,560 the word of God, we frequently are in 64 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,320 time to think of someone else and say, 65 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,960 I hope that they're listening and taking that 66 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:04,340 to heart. 67 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,240 And so often we fail to take to 68 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,940 heart ourselves what the Lord has for us. 69 00:04:12,180 --> 00:04:13,700 And it seems to me that this can 70 00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:16,940 be true with the seven churches of Asia. 71 00:04:19,130 --> 00:04:21,010 I'm sure we're all aware of the fact 72 00:04:21,010 --> 00:04:22,610 that they can be looked at in various 73 00:04:22,610 --> 00:04:23,190 ways. 74 00:04:23,750 --> 00:04:26,130 Historically, there were seven churches. 75 00:04:26,130 --> 00:04:29,910 Seven churches actually existing at the time when 76 00:04:29,910 --> 00:04:32,010 our Lord wrote to them. 77 00:04:32,750 --> 00:04:36,470 The things that were carrying on happening in 78 00:04:36,470 --> 00:04:40,630 those churches as outlined here were things that 79 00:04:40,630 --> 00:04:43,010 were happening to them at that time. 80 00:04:44,710 --> 00:04:46,070 And then we can look at it from 81 00:04:46,070 --> 00:04:47,430 a prophetic point of view. 82 00:04:49,990 --> 00:04:53,150 And it's challenging to notice the church in 83 00:04:53,150 --> 00:04:55,670 its outline from the time of Pentecost until 84 00:04:55,670 --> 00:04:56,930 our Lord shall come. 85 00:04:56,930 --> 00:05:00,130 And it's always a thrill to see how 86 00:05:00,130 --> 00:05:03,730 the Lord has outlined for us the progress 87 00:05:03,730 --> 00:05:07,150 of the church down through the history. 88 00:05:08,090 --> 00:05:09,530 But we want to think of it from 89 00:05:09,530 --> 00:05:12,470 the practical, from the personal side, rather than 90 00:05:12,470 --> 00:05:13,550 the prophetic side. 91 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,220 And while one enjoys the prophetic side, so 92 00:05:18,220 --> 00:05:21,400 often we're inclined, I think, to sort of 93 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,840 say, well, you know we're not the Laodiceans. 94 00:05:26,460 --> 00:05:27,640 We're the Philadelphians. 95 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,520 And we're certainly not those of Sardis. 96 00:05:34,150 --> 00:05:37,210 And yet there are things about Sardis we 97 00:05:37,210 --> 00:05:38,070 need to take to heart. 98 00:05:38,190 --> 00:05:41,490 And there are things about the Laodiceans we 99 00:05:41,490 --> 00:05:42,270 need to take to heart. 100 00:05:42,370 --> 00:05:44,770 In fact, things about each of these churches 101 00:05:44,770 --> 00:05:47,690 we certainly need to take to heart today. 102 00:05:49,270 --> 00:05:51,910 You remember how it closes in each particular 103 00:05:51,910 --> 00:05:52,410 church. 104 00:05:52,790 --> 00:05:55,270 He speaks about he that hath ears to 105 00:05:55,270 --> 00:05:56,870 hear, let him hear. 106 00:05:57,690 --> 00:05:58,930 He that overcometh. 107 00:05:58,930 --> 00:06:02,450 In other words, it's a personal message to 108 00:06:02,450 --> 00:06:05,530 each individual in the church of God. 109 00:06:09,260 --> 00:06:11,440 And it's rather interesting to keep in mind, 110 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,900 you recall back in chapter 1, there's a 111 00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:17,300 blessing to those who read the word. 112 00:06:17,460 --> 00:06:19,660 You remember in verse 3 it says, Blessed 113 00:06:19,660 --> 00:06:21,980 is he that readeth, he that heareth the 114 00:06:21,980 --> 00:06:24,300 words of the prophecy, and keep those things 115 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:25,520 which are written therein. 116 00:06:26,820 --> 00:06:28,120 For the time is at hand. 117 00:06:29,740 --> 00:06:31,980 And that word blessed is the idea of 118 00:06:31,980 --> 00:06:33,480 happiness, or the happiness. 119 00:06:35,300 --> 00:06:38,000 And there's a real happiness when we not 120 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,860 only listen to the word and look into 121 00:06:42,860 --> 00:06:45,880 it, but lean upon it and live it 122 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:47,100 out in our lives. 123 00:06:47,100 --> 00:06:49,220 There's a blessing for us as we go 124 00:06:49,220 --> 00:06:51,960 to the book of Revelation and a challenge, 125 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:53,180 to say the least. 126 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,720 And you recall that seven times he tells 127 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,000 us there's a way of happiness in the 128 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:03,420 book of Revelation if we lay hold of 129 00:07:03,420 --> 00:07:05,960 the things that are contained in this book. 130 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:11,880 I was rather struck coming down from Ottawa 131 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,500 to the park. 132 00:07:14,740 --> 00:07:18,460 We were asked to visit at Waynesboro for 133 00:07:18,460 --> 00:07:21,920 a meeting or two, and a few of 134 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,360 the brethren from Waynesboro have had the opportunity 135 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,710 of visiting the jail. 136 00:07:31,410 --> 00:07:33,170 In fact, they have an open door there 137 00:07:33,170 --> 00:07:36,190 to go at least twice a week and 138 00:07:36,190 --> 00:07:38,510 spend as long as they want ministering the 139 00:07:38,510 --> 00:07:42,670 word to the inmates there in the jail. 140 00:07:43,450 --> 00:07:45,670 And so when I was there on Thursday, 141 00:07:45,810 --> 00:07:49,810 we went along and had an enjoyable time 142 00:07:49,810 --> 00:07:52,690 preaching the word to these young men. 143 00:07:53,290 --> 00:07:55,410 Quite a number of young men gathered together, 144 00:07:55,950 --> 00:07:58,270 and the Lord has blessed in the salvation 145 00:07:58,270 --> 00:08:00,210 of a number of them in the two 146 00:08:00,210 --> 00:08:03,010 months that they have been operating this jail 147 00:08:03,010 --> 00:08:03,670 service. 148 00:08:04,290 --> 00:08:07,050 And after preaching a message in the gospel, 149 00:08:08,070 --> 00:08:10,990 I threw it open for questions and just 150 00:08:10,990 --> 00:08:13,930 asked if they had any questions that they 151 00:08:13,930 --> 00:08:15,050 might like to ask. 152 00:08:17,770 --> 00:08:20,330 And three or four of these young men 153 00:08:20,330 --> 00:08:23,370 who have trusted Christ as Savior have started 154 00:08:23,370 --> 00:08:26,430 a little Bible study, and for some particular 155 00:08:26,430 --> 00:08:29,090 reason known only to themselves, they decided to 156 00:08:29,090 --> 00:08:31,549 study the book of Revelation. 157 00:08:32,270 --> 00:08:35,470 And the first question that was asked, I 158 00:08:35,470 --> 00:08:37,130 thought was rather interesting. 159 00:08:37,950 --> 00:08:40,429 Interesting in more ways than one, because I 160 00:08:40,429 --> 00:08:42,289 was thinking of maybe taking up the seven 161 00:08:42,289 --> 00:08:46,930 churches here upon arrival, and the first question 162 00:08:46,930 --> 00:08:51,350 they asked was, why were there seven churches? 163 00:08:52,810 --> 00:08:54,850 Why were there seven churches? 164 00:08:55,350 --> 00:08:56,290 Rather interesting. 165 00:08:56,410 --> 00:08:59,290 A group of young believers just saved a 166 00:08:59,290 --> 00:09:01,230 matter of a few weeks would think of 167 00:09:01,230 --> 00:09:01,530 that particular question. 168 00:09:01,530 --> 00:09:06,370 Why were there seven churches? 169 00:09:09,370 --> 00:09:11,790 Well, it's interesting, is it not, to remember 170 00:09:11,790 --> 00:09:13,710 that in the book of Revelation this number 171 00:09:13,710 --> 00:09:17,310 seven is repeated again and again and again. 172 00:09:17,990 --> 00:09:21,430 Some fifty-four times throughout this particular book, 173 00:09:22,390 --> 00:09:24,210 the number seven is mentioned. 174 00:09:25,890 --> 00:09:30,110 And it's that number of completion, spiritual completion. 175 00:09:30,110 --> 00:09:33,690 Whatever area is in mind, it sort of 176 00:09:33,690 --> 00:09:35,050 completes that cycle. 177 00:09:37,610 --> 00:09:38,950 And it would seem as we look at 178 00:09:38,950 --> 00:09:42,110 the seven churches, we do have a complete 179 00:09:42,110 --> 00:09:45,210 cycle, whether it's a complete cycle in terms 180 00:09:45,210 --> 00:09:49,170 of the history of the church, or as 181 00:09:49,170 --> 00:09:50,470 in the case that we want to look 182 00:09:50,470 --> 00:09:53,730 at it during these days together, in the 183 00:09:53,730 --> 00:09:57,710 light of a complete cycle of the problems 184 00:09:57,710 --> 00:10:02,410 and the difficulties, the trials, the challenges that 185 00:10:02,410 --> 00:10:05,010 saints of God meet in every age. 186 00:10:05,410 --> 00:10:07,130 Whether it's in the days when the Apostle 187 00:10:07,130 --> 00:10:10,010 Paul lived, or the Apostle John, or whether 188 00:10:10,010 --> 00:10:11,510 it's in the days in which we live 189 00:10:11,510 --> 00:10:13,690 today, or whether it was in the Middle 190 00:10:13,690 --> 00:10:14,230 Ages. 191 00:10:14,770 --> 00:10:17,810 The problems that are outlined here, the difficulties, 192 00:10:18,430 --> 00:10:20,650 the challenges that are mentioned here in these 193 00:10:20,650 --> 00:10:24,290 seven churches, are challenges that we face today. 194 00:10:25,130 --> 00:10:26,630 The word of God is so up-to 195 00:10:26,630 --> 00:10:26,850 -date. 196 00:10:31,420 --> 00:10:33,520 And as we go over the seven churches 197 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,120 we find that we face, we find that 198 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:35,220 we face challenges that we face today. 199 00:10:35,220 --> 00:10:35,320 The word of God is so up-to 200 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:35,420 -date. 201 00:10:35,420 --> 00:10:35,520 And as we go over the seven churches 202 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:35,620 we find that we face, we find that 203 00:10:35,620 --> 00:10:35,720 we face challenges that we face today. 204 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:35,820 The word of God is so up-to 205 00:10:35,820 --> 00:10:35,920 -date. 206 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:36,020 And as we go over the seven churches 207 00:10:36,020 --> 00:10:36,120 we find that we face, we find that 208 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:36,220 we face challenges that we face today. 209 00:10:36,220 --> 00:10:36,320 The word of God is so up-to 210 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:36,420 -date. 211 00:10:36,420 --> 00:10:36,520 And as we go over the seven churches 212 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:36,620 we find that we face, we find that 213 00:10:36,620 --> 00:10:36,720 we face challenges that we face today. 214 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:38,920 One problem after another, and the Lord gives 215 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,880 us answers in dealing with those difficulties. 216 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,400 Now, in looking at the church at Ephesus, 217 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:48,700 and I'd like to look at it this 218 00:10:48,700 --> 00:10:50,540 morning and then again this evening in the 219 00:10:50,540 --> 00:10:52,980 will of the Lord, I want to think 220 00:10:52,980 --> 00:10:56,040 of it as the church that was drifting 221 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,880 and didn't realize it. 222 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,100 Rather sad, as you read through this church, 223 00:11:03,180 --> 00:11:07,100 in one way, because they were drifting and 224 00:11:07,100 --> 00:11:09,040 they had been drifting for some little time. 225 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:15,820 But the tragedy, they didn't realize that they 226 00:11:15,820 --> 00:11:18,820 had drifted and were continuing to drift. 227 00:11:22,970 --> 00:11:26,570 The historical background to these churches is very 228 00:11:26,570 --> 00:11:28,990 important, very interesting. 229 00:11:29,910 --> 00:11:31,570 There's no doubt in my mind that when 230 00:11:31,570 --> 00:11:34,510 the Lord wrote to these churches, He not 231 00:11:34,510 --> 00:11:37,490 only zeroed in on the problems that He 232 00:11:37,490 --> 00:11:41,410 saw in those churches, but He also illustrated 233 00:11:41,410 --> 00:11:47,350 by using certain historical backgrounds relating to those 234 00:11:47,350 --> 00:11:48,290 various churches. 235 00:11:52,210 --> 00:11:55,210 For example, Sir William Ramsey has written a 236 00:11:55,210 --> 00:11:58,130 very interesting and challenging book along this line 237 00:11:58,130 --> 00:12:02,190 in Archaeological Discoveries Concerning These Seven Churches, and 238 00:12:02,190 --> 00:12:07,270 pointing out very effectively the comparison between the 239 00:12:07,270 --> 00:12:10,010 things that they have discovered as the background 240 00:12:10,010 --> 00:12:11,810 of these churches and what the Lord has 241 00:12:11,810 --> 00:12:15,410 outlined for us here in the seven churches 242 00:12:15,410 --> 00:12:16,990 of Asia. 243 00:12:17,850 --> 00:12:19,890 For example, one of the things about this 244 00:12:19,890 --> 00:12:22,550 church, and as you know, the word Ephesus 245 00:12:23,390 --> 00:12:25,010 means desirable. 246 00:12:26,430 --> 00:12:27,270 Desirable. 247 00:12:28,350 --> 00:12:30,610 And apparently the city, when it was formed 248 00:12:30,610 --> 00:12:34,510 many years ago, had many things about it 249 00:12:34,510 --> 00:12:35,590 that were desirable. 250 00:12:37,210 --> 00:12:40,510 It was chosen apparently because of the beautiful 251 00:12:40,510 --> 00:12:43,770 harbor, natural harbor that was there. 252 00:12:44,370 --> 00:12:46,110 It had a desirable location. 253 00:12:46,750 --> 00:12:50,370 It became the gateway for ships going out 254 00:12:50,370 --> 00:12:51,210 to the east. 255 00:12:53,570 --> 00:12:57,310 It increased tremendously in population until over 200 256 00:12:57,310 --> 00:12:59,190 ,000 people were living in Ephesus. 257 00:13:00,250 --> 00:13:04,090 It increased because of its tremendous harbor and 258 00:13:04,090 --> 00:13:04,890 its shipping. 259 00:13:05,390 --> 00:13:07,190 It increased in wealth until it was one 260 00:13:07,190 --> 00:13:09,590 of the wealthiest cities of its day. 261 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:16,540 Something like the church. 262 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,540 The church at Ephesus, when it was formed, 263 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:21,520 how desirable it was to God. 264 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,500 What a delight that church was to the 265 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:26,260 Lord at the beginning. 266 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:32,480 You remember when the Apostle Paul wrote to 267 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:37,560 them in the letter to the Ephesians, how 268 00:13:37,560 --> 00:13:39,500 he delighted to speak of their wealth. 269 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:43,420 Not their material wealth, but the spiritual wealth 270 00:13:43,420 --> 00:13:47,580 that they had, being blessed with all their 271 00:13:47,580 --> 00:13:51,540 spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. 272 00:13:54,740 --> 00:13:56,380 And it, too, became a sort of a 273 00:13:56,380 --> 00:13:59,380 gateway for the gospel, and they spread the 274 00:13:59,380 --> 00:14:03,500 word of God in those early days throughout 275 00:14:03,500 --> 00:14:06,820 the region from Ephesus. 276 00:14:10,610 --> 00:14:13,430 Apparently, up until the present time, they've uncovered 277 00:14:13,430 --> 00:14:18,500 only about 20 percent of the ancient city 278 00:14:18,500 --> 00:14:19,160 of Ephesus. 279 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,820 But in that 20 percent, apparently they have 280 00:14:22,820 --> 00:14:26,240 uncovered what to the Bible believers is a 281 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:31,140 very interesting thing, of course, is the remains, 282 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,140 the ruins of the temple of Diana, which 283 00:14:35,140 --> 00:14:38,060 is emphasized so much in Acts chapter 18. 284 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,860 And this tremendous temple that they have uncovered 285 00:14:43,860 --> 00:14:47,540 was one of the seven wonders of the 286 00:14:47,540 --> 00:14:48,620 world at that time. 287 00:14:49,380 --> 00:14:51,640 People came from all the then known world 288 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:53,260 to see this tremendous temple. 289 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:02,500 Some 450 feet in length, some 300 or 290 00:15:02,500 --> 00:15:06,460 so feet in width, with this tremendous tall 291 00:15:06,460 --> 00:15:11,180 pillar some 60 feet high, some 227 of 292 00:15:11,180 --> 00:15:14,500 them all being donated, apparently, by various kings 293 00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:16,740 and rulers of that time. 294 00:15:19,350 --> 00:15:21,030 And if you had the privilege to go 295 00:15:21,030 --> 00:15:23,350 to Athens and see the ruins of the 296 00:15:23,350 --> 00:15:26,530 temple there, this particular temple they've uncovered at 297 00:15:26,530 --> 00:15:29,410 Ephesus is some four times larger than that 298 00:15:29,410 --> 00:15:33,070 one in the Acropolis at Athens. 299 00:15:36,350 --> 00:15:40,470 And you remember that Demetrius was very much 300 00:15:40,470 --> 00:15:43,370 concerned about how the gospel was going to 301 00:15:43,370 --> 00:15:48,610 affect the worship to Diana. 302 00:15:49,690 --> 00:15:52,230 And you remember, as Paul was preaching, the 303 00:15:52,230 --> 00:15:54,810 crowd gathered together and for some two hours 304 00:15:54,810 --> 00:16:00,910 they began to chant, Great is Diana! 305 00:16:01,550 --> 00:16:02,690 Great is Diana! 306 00:16:05,460 --> 00:16:06,340 in Ephesus. 307 00:16:07,460 --> 00:16:09,560 And, of course, these things have been uncovered 308 00:16:11,020 --> 00:16:14,540 as factual in recent years. 309 00:16:15,780 --> 00:16:19,380 It was known as the Vanity Fair of 310 00:16:19,380 --> 00:16:23,400 the ancient world, and in this little city 311 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:30,200 was a local church, very vibrant for the 312 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,760 Lord at the beginning, but at this particular 313 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:38,460 time in church history it had slipped, it 314 00:16:38,460 --> 00:16:42,580 had drifted, it had grown cold. 315 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:45,440 We mentioned last night that we wanted to 316 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,220 think along the line of various heart conditions, 317 00:16:48,220 --> 00:16:50,000 and the heart condition I think of when 318 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,740 I look at the church at Ephesus is 319 00:16:52,740 --> 00:16:54,140 the cooling heart. 320 00:16:55,380 --> 00:16:56,700 The cooling heart. 321 00:16:58,100 --> 00:16:59,640 And I want to challenge you this morning, 322 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,100 beloved, do you have a heart that's cooling 323 00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:03,099 off for the Lord? 324 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:12,660 Or is, by the grace of God and 325 00:17:12,660 --> 00:17:14,480 through the working of the Holy Spirit, you 326 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,960 still have, as those two are on the 327 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,760 road to Emmaus, a burning heart? 328 00:17:22,290 --> 00:17:23,670 You remember how they said, did not our 329 00:17:23,670 --> 00:17:26,329 hearts burn within us while He talked with 330 00:17:26,329 --> 00:17:28,530 us by the way and while He opened 331 00:17:28,530 --> 00:17:30,230 unto us the Scriptures? 332 00:17:31,390 --> 00:17:33,550 And it's when the Lord opens the Word 333 00:17:33,550 --> 00:17:37,090 of God, it's when we sense that closeness 334 00:17:37,090 --> 00:17:38,930 to Him and the Holy Spirit reveals the 335 00:17:38,930 --> 00:17:41,050 things of grace to us that the heart 336 00:17:41,050 --> 00:17:43,870 begins to glow and burn for Him. 337 00:17:46,540 --> 00:17:49,780 But when we fail in that, it's not 338 00:17:49,780 --> 00:17:51,980 long for the heart of ours to cool 339 00:17:51,980 --> 00:17:55,460 off, and that's what was happening here in 340 00:17:55,460 --> 00:17:57,080 the church at Ephesus. 341 00:17:59,190 --> 00:18:03,590 There's the lesson of degenerating into formality. 342 00:18:05,390 --> 00:18:07,490 Degenerating into tradition. 343 00:18:09,290 --> 00:18:10,830 Into a routine. 344 00:18:11,850 --> 00:18:12,790 Into a habit. 345 00:18:14,730 --> 00:18:16,150 Into a lack of vision. 346 00:18:18,540 --> 00:18:19,300 No power. 347 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,760 These are the things that this particular church 348 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:24,620 had drifted into. 349 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,340 And, beloved, you know as well as I 350 00:18:27,340 --> 00:18:32,240 know, that even the things of God that 351 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:36,800 are so vital—our prayer life, the reading of 352 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:41,560 the Word of God, witnessing for the Lord, 353 00:18:42,500 --> 00:18:47,860 fellowship with God's people—can become a routine. 354 00:18:50,270 --> 00:18:52,290 It can become habit-forming. 355 00:18:53,410 --> 00:18:55,670 It can be carried out in a way 356 00:18:55,670 --> 00:19:01,930 that we fail to do it effectively. 357 00:19:03,770 --> 00:19:06,090 Do it under the leading and guidance of 358 00:19:06,090 --> 00:19:07,570 the Holy Spirit of God. 359 00:19:08,470 --> 00:19:10,670 Our Bible reading, even if we can carry 360 00:19:10,670 --> 00:19:12,390 on day by day with the reading of 361 00:19:12,390 --> 00:19:14,290 the Word of God, and after a while 362 00:19:14,290 --> 00:19:16,950 it becomes just something that we pick up 363 00:19:16,950 --> 00:19:18,710 when we read our chapter or our two 364 00:19:18,710 --> 00:19:20,770 chapters or whatever it is, and we close 365 00:19:20,770 --> 00:19:22,250 our Bible and that's it. 366 00:19:22,350 --> 00:19:23,910 We feel we've done our duty for the 367 00:19:23,910 --> 00:19:24,190 day. 368 00:19:24,950 --> 00:19:26,830 We go through our little prayer time and 369 00:19:26,830 --> 00:19:28,750 we almost say the same thing each time, 370 00:19:29,350 --> 00:19:31,770 and we close in our prayer before the 371 00:19:31,770 --> 00:19:33,170 Lord and feel we've done our duty. 372 00:19:33,510 --> 00:19:37,690 And we have to be consciously concerned, daily 373 00:19:37,690 --> 00:19:40,450 concerned, that even these things that are so 374 00:19:40,450 --> 00:19:44,610 vital in the Christian life are done out 375 00:19:44,610 --> 00:19:48,310 of a zeal, a motive, borne by the 376 00:19:48,310 --> 00:19:50,510 Holy Spirit of God, and that there's a 377 00:19:50,510 --> 00:19:52,990 freshness to our study of the God. 378 00:19:53,130 --> 00:19:55,350 There's a freshness to our prayer life. 379 00:19:56,030 --> 00:19:57,490 There's a freshness to our gathering. 380 00:19:58,250 --> 00:20:00,070 There's a freshness to our remembering of the 381 00:20:00,070 --> 00:20:01,810 Lord on Lord's Day morning. 382 00:20:03,690 --> 00:20:06,250 And it's not just simply a traditional thing 383 00:20:06,250 --> 00:20:09,770 that we get involved in, expecting to know 384 00:20:09,770 --> 00:20:11,030 when the next hymn is going to be 385 00:20:11,030 --> 00:20:13,290 given out or the next prayer and so 386 00:20:13,290 --> 00:20:14,170 on and so forth. 387 00:20:16,470 --> 00:20:18,870 And all these dangers I see with this 388 00:20:18,870 --> 00:20:22,010 particular church at Ephesus, and the Lord was 389 00:20:22,010 --> 00:20:23,270 concerned about it. 390 00:20:23,730 --> 00:20:26,170 May I just divide the letter up into 391 00:20:26,170 --> 00:20:27,270 five little parts? 392 00:20:28,130 --> 00:20:29,570 I want to suggest to you that in 393 00:20:29,570 --> 00:20:34,570 verse 1, the Lord sets before them the 394 00:20:34,570 --> 00:20:39,790 object, the object that's set before the church. 395 00:20:40,890 --> 00:20:46,300 And in verse 2 and 3, he zeroes 396 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:48,580 in on the operation of the church. 397 00:20:48,580 --> 00:20:52,300 He outlines what the church has been doing. 398 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,060 When you go down to verse 4, he 399 00:20:56,060 --> 00:20:59,640 sets out his objection to the church. 400 00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:01,740 I have against thee. 401 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,800 And in verse 5, he gives an opportunity 402 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,820 to the church, a tremendous opportunity. 403 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:17,210 And finally, in verse 6, there's an outlook 404 00:21:17,210 --> 00:21:21,230 set before the church, a goal, an outlook 405 00:21:21,230 --> 00:21:26,350 that they need to be willing to respond 406 00:21:26,350 --> 00:21:26,730 to. 407 00:21:27,930 --> 00:21:29,710 Let's look at the first two in the 408 00:21:29,710 --> 00:21:31,870 time that's left to us this morning, shall 409 00:21:31,870 --> 00:21:32,130 we? 410 00:21:32,450 --> 00:21:36,450 The object set before the church, and then 411 00:21:36,450 --> 00:21:38,130 the operation of this church. 412 00:21:38,910 --> 00:21:41,170 Mine's rather thrilling to me as I read 413 00:21:41,170 --> 00:21:41,730 this portion. 414 00:21:41,870 --> 00:21:44,150 Notice what it says, unto the angel of 415 00:21:44,150 --> 00:21:47,090 the church of Ephesus write, these things saith 416 00:21:47,090 --> 00:21:53,210 he, these things saith he. 417 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:59,180 And immediately he's directing their attention to himself. 418 00:22:00,900 --> 00:22:02,180 He's our object. 419 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,420 The freshness of the Christian life revolves around 420 00:22:07,420 --> 00:22:11,100 my appreciation of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 421 00:22:12,540 --> 00:22:14,780 As the spirit takes of the things of 422 00:22:14,780 --> 00:22:16,600 Christ and reveals them to me. 423 00:22:19,710 --> 00:22:21,710 And they have got their eyes off the 424 00:22:21,710 --> 00:22:22,130 Lord. 425 00:22:23,870 --> 00:22:26,230 And as he begins with this church, he 426 00:22:26,230 --> 00:22:27,170 says, he. 427 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,140 Do you remember back in Matthew chapter 2, 428 00:22:33,220 --> 00:22:37,580 the wise men, they said, where is he, 429 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:40,300 the reborn King of the Jews? 430 00:22:41,020 --> 00:22:42,560 We've seen his star in the east. 431 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:43,740 We've come to worship him. 432 00:22:44,540 --> 00:22:45,220 Where is he? 433 00:22:47,380 --> 00:22:49,040 Where is the Lord in your life? 434 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,740 Is he the center around which your whole 435 00:22:51,740 --> 00:22:52,620 life revolves? 436 00:22:56,140 --> 00:22:57,660 These things saith he. 437 00:23:03,350 --> 00:23:07,830 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of 438 00:23:07,830 --> 00:23:08,270 our faith. 439 00:23:09,210 --> 00:23:10,770 Do you remember Abraham? 440 00:23:12,510 --> 00:23:15,270 What caused him to leave all they had 441 00:23:15,270 --> 00:23:17,210 in her of the Chaldees and go out 442 00:23:17,210 --> 00:23:20,010 to a land they knew not of? 443 00:23:21,370 --> 00:23:23,830 You remember Acts chapter 7 gives us the 444 00:23:23,830 --> 00:23:24,270 answer. 445 00:23:25,690 --> 00:23:28,370 The Lord of glory appeared unto him. 446 00:23:29,030 --> 00:23:31,870 The Lord of glory and that sight of 447 00:23:31,870 --> 00:23:34,350 the Lord of glory moved Abraham to forget 448 00:23:34,350 --> 00:23:35,170 all else. 449 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,140 What caused Saul to turn from all that 450 00:23:43,140 --> 00:23:46,020 he had been occupied with and had lived 451 00:23:46,020 --> 00:23:49,960 his life for up until he met the 452 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:50,320 Savior? 453 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:52,600 It was on the Damascus road, was it 454 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:52,920 not? 455 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:55,380 It was that sight of the Lord of 456 00:23:55,380 --> 00:24:00,610 glory and that glimpse of the Lord of 457 00:24:00,610 --> 00:24:02,910 glory just transformed his whole life. 458 00:24:04,430 --> 00:24:06,070 So that he could say, for me to 459 00:24:06,070 --> 00:24:11,250 live, Christ, and to die, gain. 460 00:24:13,330 --> 00:24:14,410 Occupied with him. 461 00:24:19,110 --> 00:24:20,930 You remember Peter as he walked on the 462 00:24:20,930 --> 00:24:23,610 water to go to his Lord? 463 00:24:24,450 --> 00:24:26,090 Lord bid me come to thee. 464 00:24:27,030 --> 00:24:27,710 The Lord said, Come. 465 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:31,580 And whilst his eyes were riveted on that 466 00:24:31,580 --> 00:24:35,160 blessed one, he walked above all the circumstances 467 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,980 and difficulties he was faced with. 468 00:24:38,740 --> 00:24:42,000 For the moment he saw the wind, the 469 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,500 waves boisterous. 470 00:24:47,180 --> 00:24:49,120 And so the Lord says, You've lost your 471 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:49,640 object. 472 00:24:50,700 --> 00:24:53,420 You've lost sight of the One who is 473 00:24:53,420 --> 00:24:57,400 to be preeminent in your life. 474 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:00,680 You've become so bogged down in all your 475 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:02,820 little routine activities. 476 00:25:05,410 --> 00:25:07,410 You're ceasing to do those things for me 477 00:25:07,410 --> 00:25:07,810 anymore. 478 00:25:08,490 --> 00:25:10,310 You're just doing them because it's sort of 479 00:25:10,310 --> 00:25:11,150 a force of habit. 480 00:25:14,530 --> 00:25:16,470 He said, Get your attention back to me. 481 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,680 You remember John in chapter 1 of Revelation? 482 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:29,820 He said, I heard a voice behind me. 483 00:25:31,980 --> 00:25:33,480 And as I turned to see the voice 484 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:35,480 behind me and be in turn, I saw. 485 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:38,820 And he saw the Lord of glory. 486 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:40,920 The man of the glory. 487 00:25:41,860 --> 00:25:44,280 And he said, having seen, he said, I 488 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:44,720 fail. 489 00:25:48,710 --> 00:25:51,310 He got his eyes back on the Lord 490 00:25:51,310 --> 00:25:51,710 of glory. 491 00:25:53,690 --> 00:25:54,850 That's where it all begins. 492 00:25:54,970 --> 00:25:56,250 And that's the way the Lord begins in 493 00:25:56,250 --> 00:25:57,350 this particular church. 494 00:25:57,830 --> 00:25:58,830 He said, You're drifting. 495 00:26:00,730 --> 00:26:02,050 Let's get back to the object. 496 00:26:02,810 --> 00:26:04,190 Let's get back to the goal. 497 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,160 But not only that, you'll notice in this 498 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,960 particular chapter, particular verse, we have brought before 499 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:17,580 us this person in so many wonderful ways. 500 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:19,580 We see his, we see his work. 501 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:22,460 We see his walk. 502 00:26:23,460 --> 00:26:24,960 And we listen to his words. 503 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,260 When he shows us his work, he also 504 00:26:30,260 --> 00:26:31,300 shows us his hand. 505 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,640 When he describes his walk, we're reminded of 506 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:36,160 his feet. 507 00:26:36,780 --> 00:26:39,520 And when we listen to his words, we 508 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:40,420 think of his mouth. 509 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:47,380 When he speaks about his work here, he 510 00:26:47,380 --> 00:26:50,440 talks and reminds us that he is the 511 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:51,780 source of all power. 512 00:26:52,700 --> 00:26:55,300 When he speaks about his walking, he reminds 513 00:26:55,300 --> 00:26:57,040 us he's constantly present. 514 00:27:01,350 --> 00:27:04,590 And when he speaks, he reminds us he's 515 00:27:04,590 --> 00:27:07,250 perceptive and he knows all that's going on. 516 00:27:10,100 --> 00:27:12,080 Notice, for example, what it says in verse 517 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:16,840 1, These things saith he that holdeth the 518 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,900 seven stars in his right hand. 519 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:21,680 His work. 520 00:27:23,550 --> 00:27:25,130 What is he doing in this verse? 521 00:27:26,110 --> 00:27:29,350 My beloved, he brings his hand to play. 522 00:27:30,370 --> 00:27:31,850 You remember what it says over in Mark's 523 00:27:31,850 --> 00:27:33,370 Gospels at chapter 6? 524 00:27:35,090 --> 00:27:40,290 They marvel at the wondrous works that were 525 00:27:40,290 --> 00:27:42,550 wrought by his hand. 526 00:27:43,750 --> 00:27:44,510 His hand. 527 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:48,900 You remember in the Psalms it says, I 528 00:27:48,900 --> 00:27:51,080 muse on the works of thine hand. 529 00:27:52,140 --> 00:27:53,560 Well, let's have a look at that hand 530 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:54,080 for a moment. 531 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:56,720 What is that hand doing? 532 00:27:58,870 --> 00:28:00,530 This is something I have to be constantly 533 00:28:00,530 --> 00:28:01,570 reminded of. 534 00:28:02,310 --> 00:28:06,310 If I don't rest, if I'm not to 535 00:28:06,310 --> 00:28:08,790 get into a routine in my Christian life, 536 00:28:09,430 --> 00:28:12,850 I've got to realize that my power, my 537 00:28:12,850 --> 00:28:15,590 source of strength, is the Lord himself. 538 00:28:19,170 --> 00:28:22,470 And without him, I can do nothing. 539 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,520 It tells us here that he's holding the 540 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:31,260 seven stars in his right hand. 541 00:28:32,540 --> 00:28:35,880 And that word, hold, is an interesting word, 542 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:37,800 and scholars have pointed out. 543 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,520 It simply means to hold fast. 544 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,280 In fact, we're told that in Revelation chapter 545 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:45,680 2 and verse 13. 546 00:28:46,660 --> 00:28:49,300 He says, Thou holdest fast my name. 547 00:28:49,420 --> 00:28:52,180 That word holding fast is the very same 548 00:28:52,180 --> 00:28:56,360 word as just translated hold in verse 1 549 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:57,500 of chapter 2. 550 00:28:57,900 --> 00:28:59,620 It's to hold fast. 551 00:29:00,820 --> 00:29:04,200 In fact, it's used over in Matthew's gospel 552 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:09,180 when Judas said to the soldiers as they 553 00:29:09,180 --> 00:29:11,920 went in to take the Lord. 554 00:29:12,740 --> 00:29:14,720 And he said something like this to them. 555 00:29:14,780 --> 00:29:17,380 He said, Now, the one to whom I 556 00:29:17,380 --> 00:29:23,360 kiss, that is he, hold him fast. 557 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:25,120 Don't let him go. 558 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:28,860 And that's the very same word as here. 559 00:29:30,220 --> 00:29:31,100 Hold him fast. 560 00:29:38,570 --> 00:29:39,950 The Lord's never going to let us go. 561 00:29:46,500 --> 00:29:49,520 Greek scholars remind us that the word apparently 562 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:52,240 has been used and was used in Bible 563 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:52,860 times. 564 00:29:53,340 --> 00:29:53,920 Not so much. 565 00:29:53,980 --> 00:29:55,380 They had a different word for sort of 566 00:29:55,380 --> 00:29:59,000 holding a Bible like this, than having a 567 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:00,940 word when they had a coin and they 568 00:30:00,940 --> 00:30:03,140 put it in the hand and they completely 569 00:30:04,020 --> 00:30:05,740 had control of that coin. 570 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:08,300 You see, you don't have complete control of 571 00:30:08,300 --> 00:30:11,540 a book like this, because much of it 572 00:30:11,540 --> 00:30:12,320 is out of the hand. 573 00:30:13,020 --> 00:30:15,060 But this word apparently has the idea of 574 00:30:15,060 --> 00:30:16,740 being in complete control. 575 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:27,800 He holdeth the seven stars in his right 576 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:28,300 hand. 577 00:30:29,820 --> 00:30:30,580 Well, isn't that wonderful? 578 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:32,280 His right hand. 579 00:30:35,580 --> 00:30:37,560 That, beloved, is the hand of strength. 580 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,180 That's the hand of power. 581 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,340 That's his work for us today, or one 582 00:30:45,340 --> 00:30:48,120 of the manifestations of his work, is holding 583 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:48,700 us. 584 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:51,160 Our strength. 585 00:30:53,940 --> 00:31:00,640 You remember over in Exodus chapter 15, as 586 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:02,520 Moses and the children of Israel sang about 587 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:04,760 the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, 588 00:31:08,810 --> 00:31:18,020 they said something like this, O Lord, thy 589 00:31:18,020 --> 00:31:20,240 right hand is glorious in power. 590 00:31:22,990 --> 00:31:26,970 O Lord, thy right hand has dashed the 591 00:31:26,970 --> 00:31:27,710 enemies to pieces. 592 00:31:30,740 --> 00:31:33,300 And farther down in that lovely psalm or 593 00:31:33,300 --> 00:31:36,000 song, they go on to describe that right 594 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:40,740 hand again, and it says, Lord, you stretch 595 00:31:40,740 --> 00:31:43,400 out your right hand and the earth is 596 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:43,920 swallowed. 597 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:46,260 Oh, the right hand. 598 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,180 Over in Matthew's Gospel, we read about the 599 00:31:51,180 --> 00:31:54,880 Lord being exalted to the right hand of 600 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:55,580 His power. 601 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:58,020 So it's the hand of power here, beloved. 602 00:31:59,100 --> 00:32:01,440 And that's the hand that holds us. 603 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:03,580 And the Lord says, do you not realize 604 00:32:05,020 --> 00:32:11,240 that you must be daily, hourly, moment by 605 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,000 moment, dependent upon me? 606 00:32:13,340 --> 00:32:14,340 I'm your strength. 607 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:18,200 I'm your power. 608 00:32:26,170 --> 00:32:29,970 You recall, as far as the seven stars 609 00:32:29,970 --> 00:32:35,020 are concerned, there are differences of opinion as 610 00:32:35,020 --> 00:32:38,020 to what the stars represent, and I don't 611 00:32:38,020 --> 00:32:45,300 profess to know or add that much more 612 00:32:45,300 --> 00:32:46,620 light on the thing at all. 613 00:32:49,900 --> 00:32:51,900 But others have pointed out that the word 614 00:32:51,900 --> 00:32:56,900 stars are the angels, of course. 615 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,080 We have that in Revelation chapter 1. 616 00:32:59,920 --> 00:33:03,280 And the angels can be equally translated messengers. 617 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,660 In fact, we read concerning John the Baptist 618 00:33:07,660 --> 00:33:10,900 that he was an angel or messenger. 619 00:33:11,100 --> 00:33:14,180 We read concerning John the Baptist followers that 620 00:33:14,180 --> 00:33:15,560 they were messengers. 621 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,580 We read concerning the Lord's followers that they 622 00:33:18,580 --> 00:33:19,360 were messengers. 623 00:33:19,780 --> 00:33:23,100 We read concerning the men who went in 624 00:33:23,100 --> 00:33:27,100 to Rahab that their same word in James 625 00:33:27,100 --> 00:33:30,280 chapter 2 is referring to them as messengers. 626 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:32,720 Or representatives. 627 00:33:34,300 --> 00:33:38,120 And it seems to me this is more 628 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:39,620 to the point as I see it at 629 00:33:39,620 --> 00:33:40,080 any rate. 630 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:45,540 These seven stars, simply a representative figure of 631 00:33:45,540 --> 00:33:51,380 the local church, were all stars in that 632 00:33:51,380 --> 00:33:54,540 sense, left here to shine in this world 633 00:33:54,540 --> 00:33:55,120 of darkness. 634 00:33:56,020 --> 00:33:58,580 And beloved, I can't shine apart from the 635 00:33:58,580 --> 00:34:00,720 realization that he holds me there. 636 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:06,300 I shine through his strength and his power. 637 00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:10,360 And then notice we have his walk. 638 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:12,699 His work is the holding of the seven 639 00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:14,900 stars in his right hand, but his walk, 640 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,080 he walks in the midst of the seven 641 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,300 golden lampstands. 642 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:28,060 Notice he's not standing in the midst of 643 00:34:28,060 --> 00:34:28,780 the lampstands. 644 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:29,239 He's walking. 645 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:30,480 He's active. 646 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:32,120 He's observing. 647 00:34:33,860 --> 00:34:37,060 You remember over in John chapter 1, in 648 00:34:37,060 --> 00:34:39,920 verse 35 we read, And the next day 649 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:44,020 John stood, and two of his disciples, and 650 00:34:44,020 --> 00:34:48,020 looking upon Jesus as he walked, said, Behold 651 00:34:48,020 --> 00:34:48,940 the Lamb of God. 652 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:52,719 John stands, but Jesus is walking. 653 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:54,340 Active. 654 00:34:55,860 --> 00:34:56,340 Active. 655 00:34:59,700 --> 00:35:01,080 He's seen all. 656 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,200 He said there's two, there's three things you 657 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:06,340 have to keep in mind. 658 00:35:10,050 --> 00:35:12,050 Three objectives you must keep in mind to 659 00:35:12,050 --> 00:35:13,210 keep fresh with me. 660 00:35:14,350 --> 00:35:22,800 I'm your source of power, and my presence 661 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:25,260 is constantly with you. 662 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:31,820 I'm constantly walking in the midst of the 663 00:35:31,820 --> 00:35:34,560 golden lampstands. 664 00:35:36,060 --> 00:35:43,140 Golden lampstands because we are to reflect the 665 00:35:43,140 --> 00:35:44,060 glory of God. 666 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:45,620 Why did the Lord save you? 667 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,980 That you might be conformed to the image 668 00:35:48,980 --> 00:35:49,600 of his Son. 669 00:35:51,620 --> 00:35:54,140 That you might bring forth glory to your 670 00:35:54,140 --> 00:35:54,620 Lord. 671 00:35:55,240 --> 00:35:59,100 And every local church is to bring glory 672 00:35:59,100 --> 00:35:59,520 to him. 673 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:08,150 They appear to be a golden lampstand, conscious 674 00:36:08,150 --> 00:36:10,770 of the fact of the Lord's presence in 675 00:36:10,770 --> 00:36:11,290 their midst. 676 00:36:13,420 --> 00:36:18,740 And then you'll notice he speaks here about 677 00:36:18,740 --> 00:36:21,220 the words, or at least we have his 678 00:36:21,220 --> 00:36:22,480 words brought before us. 679 00:36:22,720 --> 00:36:26,140 In verse 1 he says this, These things 680 00:36:26,140 --> 00:36:29,760 saith he, and then in verse 2, I 681 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,080 know thy works. 682 00:36:31,660 --> 00:36:36,020 These things saith he, I know thy works. 683 00:36:39,700 --> 00:36:43,020 So we have his word, our support. 684 00:36:44,220 --> 00:36:49,800 We have his walk, constantly with us. 685 00:36:51,180 --> 00:36:55,420 And then we have his words, and all 686 00:36:55,420 --> 00:36:57,220 those words are searching, beloved. 687 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:00,440 Do they search your heart? 688 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:03,260 Do they really grip your heart? 689 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:05,140 I know. 690 00:37:06,620 --> 00:37:07,880 I know. 691 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:14,760 You remember that in every church, in the 692 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:18,120 seven churches, he always begins this way, I 693 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:18,500 know. 694 00:37:19,260 --> 00:37:20,060 I know. 695 00:37:20,720 --> 00:37:21,360 I know. 696 00:37:25,060 --> 00:37:28,580 I believe it's Weast in his expanded translation 697 00:37:28,580 --> 00:37:32,260 says, in each case, I know with absolute 698 00:37:32,260 --> 00:37:32,920 clarity. 699 00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:36,560 I know with absolute clarity. 700 00:37:36,860 --> 00:37:38,540 He knows every detail. 701 00:37:39,700 --> 00:37:41,760 We might deceive our family. 702 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:44,440 We might deceive our friends. 703 00:37:45,260 --> 00:37:46,740 We might deceive our neighbors. 704 00:37:49,010 --> 00:37:51,030 But beloved, we cannot deceive him. 705 00:37:51,930 --> 00:37:54,390 The Lord says, I see much activity going 706 00:37:54,390 --> 00:37:55,270 on in your midst. 707 00:37:55,390 --> 00:37:57,770 But he said, I know. 708 00:38:00,380 --> 00:38:01,500 I know the good. 709 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:02,920 I know the bad. 710 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:15,230 And just drawing to a close, notice the 711 00:38:15,230 --> 00:38:16,550 operation of the church. 712 00:38:17,250 --> 00:38:18,410 Just touch on it. 713 00:38:19,790 --> 00:38:23,390 I know thy works, and thy labor, and 714 00:38:23,390 --> 00:38:26,330 thy patience, and how thou canst not bear 715 00:38:26,330 --> 00:38:28,150 them which are evil, and thou hast tried 716 00:38:28,150 --> 00:38:29,930 them which say they are apostles, or not. 717 00:38:30,470 --> 00:38:31,950 I have found them liars. 718 00:38:36,060 --> 00:38:39,780 I'm inclined to think, beloved, that if we 719 00:38:39,780 --> 00:38:43,840 had the opportunity, if we could be sort 720 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:46,600 of put into a machine, a sort of 721 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,800 a reverse time machine, and go back into 722 00:38:49,800 --> 00:39:00,790 history, and find ourselves at Ephesus, and 723 00:39:00,790 --> 00:39:04,690 visited there for a week or so, I'm 724 00:39:04,690 --> 00:39:06,210 inclined to think we would have gone away 725 00:39:06,210 --> 00:39:07,690 tremendously impressed. 726 00:39:10,770 --> 00:39:12,450 I think we would have gone away saying, 727 00:39:12,690 --> 00:39:19,610 now there is an active, thriving, work for 728 00:39:19,610 --> 00:39:19,910 God. 729 00:39:22,150 --> 00:39:23,890 They're just busy as bees. 730 00:39:27,050 --> 00:39:28,810 And they're so careful about things. 731 00:39:31,180 --> 00:39:32,620 Doctrinally, they're correct. 732 00:39:34,460 --> 00:39:36,300 They don't need to know any false teaching 733 00:39:36,300 --> 00:39:36,700 there. 734 00:39:40,370 --> 00:39:44,990 And everything was just fine, outwardly. 735 00:39:45,990 --> 00:39:48,670 Now, the Lord doesn't condemn them for that. 736 00:39:51,070 --> 00:39:52,450 He commends them for it. 737 00:39:54,340 --> 00:39:56,820 But He sees an ingredient that is missing. 738 00:39:58,260 --> 00:40:00,000 And that's what He condemns them for. 739 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:04,880 He's suggesting this church, you have got yourself 740 00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:07,360 into a rut. 741 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:09,800 Into a routine. 742 00:40:10,860 --> 00:40:13,600 Into a traditional set-up. 743 00:40:14,780 --> 00:40:17,520 And now you're doing things because it's sort 744 00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:18,440 of a thing to do. 745 00:40:20,850 --> 00:40:23,770 Rather than the love of Christ constraining you. 746 00:40:23,770 --> 00:40:33,720 We go to our, many of our 747 00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:34,560 places today. 748 00:40:35,460 --> 00:40:36,940 I suppose wherever we go. 749 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:38,880 I know it's the same in Canada. 750 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:42,580 Certainly, I don't know too much about various 751 00:40:42,580 --> 00:40:44,300 assemblies in the United States. 752 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:46,760 But in Canada, we just overrun with much 753 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:47,260 activity. 754 00:40:47,980 --> 00:40:51,680 If it's Monday, well, there's possibly an oversight 755 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:54,640 meeting, or the deacons are gathering together, or 756 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:57,760 some other executive meeting on Tuesday, perhaps a 757 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,820 prayer meeting, Bible study on Wednesday. 758 00:41:01,100 --> 00:41:04,460 Maybe there's a sister's coffee hour, maybe young 759 00:41:04,460 --> 00:41:05,500 people's committee meeting. 760 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:09,460 Thursday is visitation night, we go off visiting. 761 00:41:10,620 --> 00:41:14,180 Friday, boys and girls activity, the Venture Club, 762 00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:16,740 Pioneers, and on and on we go. 763 00:41:16,740 --> 00:41:24,660 Saturday, teens, young people, college careers, married couples 764 00:41:24,660 --> 00:41:31,930 groups, Sundays activity, Sunday afternoon, hospital visitation, and 765 00:41:31,930 --> 00:41:33,990 squeeze in between all these things. 766 00:41:38,050 --> 00:41:41,890 Many other little details that keep us going, 767 00:41:42,270 --> 00:41:43,970 morning, noon, and night. 768 00:41:46,260 --> 00:41:47,980 Now there's nothing wrong with those activities. 769 00:41:50,260 --> 00:41:53,380 But beloved, sometimes we get burdened by them. 770 00:41:53,670 --> 00:41:55,260 We become like Martha. 771 00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:58,980 We become cumbered above much service. 772 00:42:00,340 --> 00:42:04,940 And our relationship to Christ, and our closeness 773 00:42:04,940 --> 00:42:08,880 to Christ, our fellowship with him, has been 774 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:09,600 crowded out. 775 00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:15,620 We're so busy for the Lord, we haven't 776 00:42:15,620 --> 00:42:19,880 time to spend with the Lord. 777 00:42:21,380 --> 00:42:24,520 And this was the thing that concerned the 778 00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:25,880 Lord about this church. 779 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:31,540 May we be challenged that it might concern 780 00:42:31,540 --> 00:42:35,060 us, but in our activities for him, we 781 00:42:35,060 --> 00:42:39,800 might realize he is the object for all 782 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:43,680 that we do, and the strength, and the 783 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:46,340 one to whom we seek to glory and 784 00:42:46,340 --> 00:42:46,960 glorify. 785 00:42:49,180 --> 00:42:56,320 Our gracious Father, we thank thee for our 786 00:42:56,320 --> 00:42:57,460 Lord Jesus Christ. 787 00:43:01,750 --> 00:43:05,390 We praise thee for the fact that he 788 00:43:05,390 --> 00:43:08,610 not only died for us, but rose again, 789 00:43:10,350 --> 00:43:16,970 ascended back to glory, our great High Priest. 790 00:43:16,970 --> 00:43:24,200 And we've been reminded, our Father, through thy 791 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:28,220 word, not only in revelation, but again and 792 00:43:28,220 --> 00:43:31,320 again in the word of God, the importance 793 00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:41,160 of keeping close to our Lord Jesus Christ. 794 00:43:42,380 --> 00:43:47,520 To be moved and motivated by our first 795 00:43:47,520 --> 00:43:51,160 love, the Lord himself. 796 00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:55,680 We pray that that love might grip our 797 00:43:55,680 --> 00:43:56,060 hearts. 798 00:43:58,340 --> 00:44:00,540 But thou deliver us, Father, for those who 799 00:44:00,540 --> 00:44:03,720 are here this morning who have not drifted, 800 00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:08,020 but still have that freshness. 801 00:44:08,120 --> 00:44:10,600 Lord, may that freshness be kept in back 802 00:44:12,490 --> 00:44:15,770 for any who have found that they have 803 00:44:15,770 --> 00:44:18,890 cool love in heart. 804 00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:25,660 That Christ, the things of Christ, might indeed 805 00:44:25,660 --> 00:44:29,780 become exceeding precious again to them. 806 00:44:30,860 --> 00:44:33,040 For we pray in our Savior's name. 807 00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:34,500 Amen.