Sermon for 2nd Advent Sunday December 5th, 2021 – “The Baptist’s Cry…”
(Please read Psalm 85; Mark 1: 1-8; Revelation 2: 1-7)
Forty years earlier Paul had written a letter to the church at Ephesus. He commended the young church - which he had planted - for her “love for all the saints” (Eph. 1:15). Their love for the Lord and for each other defined them as a church – this place was a shining light in a difficult and dark place. Another letter now wings its way to a once flourishing fellowship, now a church facing condemnation and closure.
The Holy Spirit (now) gives the aged, exiled apostle John the very words of Jesus Christ which he is to send to that same church. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The Church was conceived and birthed and grown by the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, Christ speaks to the people. And Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. The church is not simply a human institution. The success, the light and the love of the church; indeed, its very existence; all this depends absolutely and entirely upon the risen and glorified Christ. He is the sole authority of the church.
Rev 2: 1: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.”
John paints a picture of the One who “will walk among you and be your God…and you will be my people” (Lev 26:12), the God who at once is hidden, but active, behind the scenes…the power behind governments and galaxies and churches. He has the stars and candlesticks alike in his powerful grip (Revelation 1:20).
“I know you deeds…” He knows at any time what is happening within his church and its local expression. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
He knows there were good things about this fellowship. He gives credit where it is due. They were hard-working, patient. They had rid themselves of (immoral) false-teachers: 6 …You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. They had “tested the spirits”, as John himself wrote (1 John 4:1). They’d got all the facts about God straight. They were founded on and by the very best teachers.
“Yet (nevertheless, but) I hold this against you. You have forsaken your first love…”
You have a “love problem people of Ephesus!” That’s the diagnosis. It sounds tragic, even terminal – but the Great Physician prescribes good treatment:
1. REMEMBER the height from which you have fallen. Hold in memory continually the way that you used to be – your love of God and his people. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! He sees a difference between what they once were and what they are now! Maybe you are comfortable the way you are. The objects of your love are different. You have become content with tradition or business as usual. This fall is sin. The real danger is that we ourselves remain unchanged.
This is a love that has not been “lost” as though it were mislaid: it is a love from which they have turned away! Perhaps deliberately, or without even knowing it, they had become so embroiled in doctrine and believing right that they’d forgotten to balance truth and love. I know your deeds but I know, too, what motivates them – they’re done out of duty, not love. You’ve forgotten, “I require mercy, not sacrifice…”
You have forsaken your first love… What do you do when you lose something? Retrace your steps. That’s the first step. Even Abraham went astray; and when he did, the Lord told him to “return to the place where his tent had been to start with, to the place where he had built a first altar and called upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 13: 3-4). Remember! Looking at the “before” and “after” photographs can often be painful. But, like any good treatment, it may involve pain before there is a cure.
2. REPENT (and do the things you did at first...)
Having looked back, now admit. Repentance is the admission (ultimately) that the problem lies within me and the experience of godly sorrow that goes with it. Repenting is turning to God. It is changing my mind. It may be a dirty word, but it was the Baptist’s first cry! (Mark 1:4)
The Holy Spirit - he judges and convicts us – not others. It’s not our job to judge other people and expect them to change. The change is mine to make – with God’s help. “I have sinned”, said the returning son to his father (Luke 15). He had to come to his senses and say, “Against God ALONE I have sinned…” The change has to come from here (within)…
Addicts and alcoholics often blame others for their problems. They make excuses like us: “I drink because; it’s her fault…I drink because it’s raining!” But admission (confession/owning up) is the first step to recovery for the alcoholic. “Admitted we were powerless over alcohol and made a conscious decision to turn our lives and our will over to God. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves; admitted to God, ourselves and another being the exact nature of our wrongs…”
Such honesty has always been the precursor to revival in the church, too, and in her members. Repentance is not for the newly-baptised. God has always said to his rebellious people, “TURN TO ME (REPENT) AND BE SAVED… (Isa 45:8).
3. REPEAT! Repent and do the things you did at first.
Perhaps, in their first love, the Ephesians worshipped, prayed, witnessed with enthusiasm, gave willingly. What did you do at first? Then do those things! If you read your bible; if you did a bible study weekly; if you routinely went along to 2 Sunday services a week; if prayer was something you were called to then, then do these things now. Turn back. Hard? Ask for the Spirit’s help! If your love for the LORD has turned cold or your love for his people, then decide to love him again – then love them again. “Return, faithless people and I will cure you of your backsliding…” is the promise of God (Jer. 3:22). A depressed prophet Elijah was told by the Lord to, “Go back the way you came…” to discover the antidote for his malaise (1 Kings 18: 15).
Remember how it was, repent before God and repeat the things you used to do. There are the three steps to revival.
If you do not repent, I will come to you and REMOVE your lampstand from its place…
The lampstand represents the church. He wouldn’t do that, would he?! You can contend with Him all you like but He holds the key to the church. It is unwise to ignore the counsel of God, this warning. It would seem that this church refused to take the Lord’s medicine. The doors of that church closed. He did indeed remove the lampstand. Ephesus is a bleak reminder of a church that didn't heed the letter and the light went somewhere else. The church clearly did not have the ears to hear what the Spirit was saying to them. They had a problem with love which they refused to deal with.
As in any relationship our love for Christ is subject to fluctuation. While this relationship can never be broken, it can suffer a waning of intensity. Sometimes our passion for Christ explodes and grows. And at other times it grows stale. Sadly, that is precisely what took place at Ephesus. The church there was a great church. They believed correctly, they served exhaustively; they defended valiantly against a prevailing culture of paganism and idolatry. But something over time was missing and that which was missing is that they had left their first love. We cannot ignore this. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
“Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is… Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement; it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over, and this is both an art and an fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it. We had roots which grew towards each other underground. And when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.” (Quote from the novel, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin)
Here is a picture of how we might grow old together, but young in our love for the Lord, his people and his church. The letter begins with encouragement for the overcomer and ends that way, too: To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Lord, we thank You that You never forsake us! Help us take these steps. Forgive our falling and forsaking of You. By your Spirit, renew and refresh our love for You and the things of God. Amen.
MFR 02/12/21