Letters%20To%20The%207%20Churches%20of%20Asia

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Letters To The 7 Churches of Asia (Rev. 2-3)
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Letters To The 7 Churches of Asia (Rev. 2-3)

• Some were good (Smyrna, Philadelphia)
• Some were good / bad (Ephesus, Pergomas,
  Thyatira, Sardis)
• One was bad (Laodicea)

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Letters To 7 Church of Asia (Rev. 2-3)
Good/ Bad
Good/ Bad
Good
Good
Good/ Bad
Good/ Bad
Bad

• Most of us would like to be in GOOD church (no
  condemnation)
• None of us would have anything to do with a BAD
  church (no commendation)
• Reality may be in a church that is GOOD / BAD
  (Some commendation Some condemnation)

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The 7 Churches of Asia

• A Church Left Its First Love Ephesus
• Rev. 21-7
• A Church Under Pressure Smyrna
• Rev. 28-11
• A Church That Compromised Pergamos
• Rev. 212-17
• A Tolerant Church Thyatira
• Rev. 218-29
• A Dead Church Sardis
• Rev. 31-6
• A Faithful Church Philadelphia
• Rev. 37-13
• A Luke Warm Church Laodicea
• Rev. 314-22

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The Church At Ephesus (Rev. 21-7)
Get a letter says you lost what you once had!
You Left Your 1st Love
Your Fire Has Gone Out!
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Rev 21-7 1 "To the angel of the church of
Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds
the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in
the midst of the seven golden lampstands 2 "I
know your works, your labor, your patience, and
that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you
have tested those who say they are apostles and
are not, and have found them liars 3 and you
have persevered and have patience, and have
labored for My name's sake and have not become
weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you,
that you have left your first love.
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Rev 21-7 5 Remember therefore from where you
have fallen repent and do the first works, or
else I will come to you quickly and remove your
lampstand from its place--unless you repent. 6
But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the
Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat
from the tree of life, which is in the midst of
the Paradise of God.
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Lord Sees Knows It All
1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
'These things says He who holds the seven stars
in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the
seven golden lampstands

• What is said (good / bad) is stated by one who
  hold the destiny of the church in His hand
• Lord has full knowledge of the inter-workings
  of this congregation.

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A Church That Left Its First Love When the Fire
is Gone
1. Its History
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• 3rd Largest city of Roman world
• Population 250,000

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1. Its History
A. Paul Visited Ephesus Briefly on 2nd Journey
(Acts 1818-21) B. Aquila Priscillas
Correction of Apollos (Acts 1824-28) C.
Conversion of 12 Previously Baptized (Acts
191-7) D. Many Converted on 3rd Journey (Acts
198-20) 1. In midst of controversy (v.
8-16) 2. Burned their books (v. 18-19) 3.
Stayed 3 years (Acts 2031)
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1. Its History
A. Paul Visited Ephesus Briefly on 2nd Journey
(Acts 1818-21) B. Aquila Priscillas
Correction of Apollos (Acts 1824-28) C.
Conversion of 12 Previously Baptized (Acts
191-7) D. Many Converted on 3rd Journey (Acts
198-20)
E. Idol Craftsman Caused a Riot (Acts
1921-41) F. Paul Met with Elders at Melitus
(Acts 2013-38) G. Paul Wrote a Letter to Church
at Ephesus (Ephesians) H. Timothy Worked with the
Church (1 Tim. 13)
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A Church That Left Its First Love When the Fire
is Gone
1. Its History
2. Its Strong Qualities
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2. Its Strong Qualities
1. Works (v. 2) 1. What they did in service to
the Lord 2. Works may be either good or bad
here they appear to be good. 3. This is an
active congregation
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2. Its Strong Qualities
1. Works (v. 2) 2. Labor (v. 2) - Toil
(ASV) - Strenuous, weary labor - Toil lies
deeper than works. The word
translated toil has reference to the effort that
produces work at the cost of pain. - This
is an aggressive church.
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2. Its Strong Qualities
1. Works (v. 2) 2. Labor (v. 2) 3. Patience (v.
2-3) - Persistence in the mist of toil -
staying when the burden is heavy. - Didnt
give up when things went bad, or when someone
criticized, mocked, or ridiculed them -
This is a determined church.
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2. Its Strong Qualities
1. Works (v. 2) 2. Labor (v. 2) 3. Patience (v.
2-3) 4. Doctrinally Correct (v. 2-6) - Cannot
bear evil men (v. 2) The evil men were
detected, convicted, and expelled -
Exposed false apostles (v. 2) - Hated deeds
doctrine of Nicolaitans (v. 6, 15)
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2. Its Strong Qualities
1. Works (v. 2) An Active church 2. Labor (v.
2) An Aggressive church 3. Patience (v. 2-3)
A Determined church 4. Doctrinally Correct (v.
2-6) A Sound church
What could be wrong with such a church?
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A Church That Left Its First Love When the Fire
is Gone
1. Its History
2. Its Strong Qualities
3. Its Problem
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3. Its Problem
left your first love
A. Place of Love 1. Love is essential - Love
God (Matt. 2237) - Love Truth (2 Thess.
210-12) - Love One Another (Rom. 138)
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3. Its Problem
left your first love
A. Place of Love 1. Love is essential 2. Love
produces action - Context (v. 4-5) - Gal. 56
faith works by love - 1 Jn. 53 love of God
keep commandments
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3. Its Problem
left your first love
A. Place of Love 1. Love is essential 2. Love
produces action 3. Without love are nothing (1
Cor. 13) 4. Love hate should be balanced (v.
4, 6)
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3. Its Problem
left your first love
A. Place of Love B. First Love was left
behind 1. Loyal but lacking Summers 2.
This was still a sound church
which fended off false doctrine, but the fire
had gone out. There is more to serving God than
doing the right things
Harkrider 3. Their fire is gone! 4. Love,
enthusiasm, excitement vanished!
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3. Its Problem
left your first love
A. Place of Love B. First Love was left behind C.
Common Problem 1. Not excited about being
Christians 2. Not enthused about worshipping
God 3. Not fervent in our actions 4. Not
zealous for learning growing 5. Not doing
everything out of our love for God
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Strong
Weak
Opposing Sin / Error
Love for Truth / Lord
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We Are Often Stronger In Our Opposition To Wrong
Than Our Love For What Is Right
Not enough to abhor evil must cleave to what is
good (Rom. 129)
The love here referred to is evidently love to
the Savior and the idea is, that, as a church,
they had less of this than they used to. Though
they still maintained the doctrines of Christ and
opposed error, they showed less love towards
Christ than they had formerly done. What is here
stated of the church at Ephesus is not uncommon.
(Albert Barnes)
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Stronger Here
Than Here
Against Worldliness Opposing Sin Against Inst.
Music Exposing a brother Against
Divorce Forsaking assembly sinful
Developing Godliness Saving Sinners Singing Res
toring erring For Marriage Worship of God
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A Church That Left Its First Love When the Fire
is Gone
1. Its History
2. Its Strong Qualities
3. Its Problem
4. Its Future
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4. Its Future
At a Crossroads
A. About the lose identity v. 5 - If dont
change remove lampstand (identity) - Soon no
longer be the Lords church - It is decision
time! - Cant stay in the this lull / rut
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4. Its Future
At a Crossroads
A. About the lose identity B. Problems are
Curable 1. Could be fixed
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4. Its Future
At a Crossroads
A. About the lose identity B. Problems are
Curable 1. Could be fixed 2. Must Repent (v.
5) a. Prompted by memory (v. 5) - The
lever of repentance is memory b. Change
your mind c. Do first works do what used to
do!
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GODS SIMPLE PLAN FOR SALVATION
Rev. 210
Acts 238
baptism
JN. 1242
confess
LK. 133
OBEDIENT UNTIL DEATH
repent
JN. 824
believe
ACTS 322
hear