Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

For the following 7 sermons here at High Desert Bilingual English Group, we are going to spend time in Bible study and reflection on the 7 churches found in the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. Today we are going to begin with the first church.

If in case this will be new to you, we pray that it will be a blessings, because there is a blessing in studying the book of Revelation: Revelation 1:3

Revelation 2:1-

First thing: Jesus is sending a message to the churches.

And each is a specific message based on the situations of the church, the challenges and strengths of the church.

But if this is not new to you, I pray that with a humble heart, you hear once again the message of the 7 churches, and allow the spirit to work a transforming work in you.

I believe now, more than ever

“You cannot bear those who are evil.

You have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars: and you have persevered and have patience, have labored, not become weary...”

The Letter of Revelation:

When you look over the panorama of the New Testament, you will quickly notice that the majority of the New Testament is actually a collection of inspired letters written to individuals,, churches and entire groups of people living in the time of the early Christian Church.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are all gospels.

Acts of the Apostles is a collection of events that happened to the apostles after Jesus ascended.

But as soon as we get to the book of Romans, we begin to read these letters written by different individuals to different Christians throughout the world.

Work

labor

Every single book that comes after the book “Acts of the Apostles” is realistically a letter.

Including the book of Revelation.

patience

persevered

Now, the book of Revelation is a unique letter, a little bit different to the rest of the epistles we see in the New Testament.

In the other letters of the New Testament, we often know who wrote it and who they were writing too:

patience

For example, 1 and 2 Timothy was Paul’s letter to a young leader named Timothy.

1 Peter was a letter written by Peter to Christians in “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”

Or take for example James, who you would think is not written to anyone, is actually a letter written to the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad”

Like the other Epistles, the book of Revelation is also a letter, but it is unique because of who is sending the message, and who the message is being written to:

labored

not weary

The Author of Revelation is found in

And who it was written to:

In fact, John is told specifically who this message should be sent to: Revelation 1:9-11

Yes, the book of Revelation is important to us.

But the book of Revelation was extra-important to these 7 churches, because Jesus himself commanded that this should be sent specifically to them.

But the book of Revelation was extra-important to these 7 churches, because Jesus himself commanded that this should be sent specifically to them.

There is one other thing that should be mentioned about the churches.

Because it was originally sent to these 7 churches does not mean that it does not apply to other Christians in other churches throughout time.

In fact, the messages that are found in chapters 2-3 of Revelation are messages that apply to all of us.

Book was never sealed.

Historical part of the book.

And it represents symbolically the history of the Christian church

The names of the seven churches are symbolic of the church in different periods of the Christian Era.

The number 7 indicates completeness, and is symbolic of the fact that the messages extend to the end of time, while the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods in the history of the world.

So there is a lot to take in when it comes to these messages.

So let us jump into our very first Church, the Church of Ephesus (about 60 miles from Patmos),

(A little Geographical Context)

Turn to Revelation 2:1-7

The very first thing that stands out in this message of Jesus to this church is how good this church is:

This is a church that labors.

This is a patient church.

This is a patient church.

This is a church that cannot stand for evil.

This is a church that cannot stand for evil.

This is also a church that

Is very careful with who claims to be an apostle.

A church who is perseverant.

And a church who does not give up.

Is very careful with who claims to be an apostle.

A church who is perseverant.

And a church who does not give up.

All these are qualities of a very good church.

In fact, one could say that this is more than an excellent church, an outstanding church, a church that we ourselves would like to be.

But the message to the church of Ephesus sets the tone for what Jesus is really trying to do.

When Jesus analyzes a person or a group of people, he does not do an external evaluation.

He doesnt pass judgement based on what he sees from the outside.

If you remember in the case of the Pharisees:

(This is why ultimately we cannot hide anything from God - Jonah tried, doesn't work).

So when Jesus does this x-ray analysis of the church he finds that the church has fundamentally serious problem.

Quoting from the text: Revelation 2:4

“that you have left your first love…”

Now this phrase in and of itself seems a bit odd.

If there is such a thing as first love, wouldn’t that mean that there is a second love and a third love.

But that is not what is meant here.

Here, Jesus is explaining that they have left behind what they first loved, that is, what characterized them at the beginning.

Now we know they were characterized as a loving church at the beginning because of what the Bible says.

When Paul writes to the church of Ephesus, in the book of Ephesians, notice what he says:

And when Paul was about to leave the church of Ephesus, notice what they did: Acts 20:37-38

These texts point to this loving quality that the church of Ephesus had.

But Jesus is telling the church of Ephesus that even though they do many things, the one thing they are not doing is what they were known for in the past.

They are now a loveless church.

And because they are now a loveless church, look at what the consequences are:

“I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from it’s place…” (In other words, your ability to give light, to witness).

In other words, if they continue being a loveless church, Jesus will quickly turn them into a church that cannot witness.

And this makes perfect sense!!

If there is one message that Christians are to preach it is in fact the love of God.

Among the most powerful verse in the Bible, so many of them focus on a loving God and a love filled faith.

Jesus gives a New Commandment, and the commandment is pretty straight forward:

He repeats it again in

And then one more time it is repeated:

But there is still more:

(repeated one more time) (and a third time) - It is through loving that people know we are disciples - Love is the fulfillment of the Law - Fulness of God is love.

God is Love.

- New commandment - That you love one another.

(repeated one more time) (and a third time) - It is through loving that people know we are disciples - Love is the fulfillment of the Law - Fulness of God is love.

- It is through loving that people know we are disciples - Love is the fulfillment of the Law - Fulness of God is love.

God is Love.

- New commandment - That you love one another.

(repeated one more time) (and a third time) - It is through loving that people know we are disciples - Love is the fulfillment of the Law - Fulness of God is love.

All these verses point to an un-ignorable reality.