The Seven Churches and the Kingdom Today
Topic: Ephesus: The Fallen State and Call to Restoration
Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7; Matthew 28:19
Greetings Kingdom Citizens and Sons of God:
In Revelation 2:5 Jesus tells them that they have fallen. Now I do not want to pass this so fast because there is so much we can gleam from this word right here. Holy Spirit is sent to us to teach us, comfort us, guide us but also convict us. When Jesus points out a flaw or a sin that you have committed you have a choice at that point; You can either acknowledge the sin, take responsibility and repent or you can ignore Jesus can continue to do what you want to do and deal with the consequences, in your mind, later. Now for anyone who has had a true experience with the Lord, you know Jesus is constantly working on us and through us. He points out our weak spots so that we can understand that area in our life that we need to work on. This is for your benefit because Christ knows that satan knows your weaknesses and that is the atmosphere or traps he sets to get you to fall. But Christ is so loving and caring that he will work with you if you allow Him to take that weakness and make it a strength so that you can see the traps and not fall because you are led by the Spirit. However the first step to restoration, deliverance and/or healing is acknowledgement of our fallen state.
Jesus tells the church at Ephesus why they fell. He told them earlier in verse 4 that they left their first love and because of that, they have fallen. Jesus makes us aware today of our short comings and tells us that we are not in the position of righteousness where we should be and makes us aware of what it is we have done. Now if Christ left it there, how would the situation be resolved and this is what is so awesome about God because there are so many “leaders” in the church that will point out all the wrong but never give you a solution or an answer to recover. Jesus always has given us from the beginning of fall what we did wrong and what we need to do to be in position to receive from God. Every situation in the Bible has that scenario in it. So anytime you run against someone that is so negative they cannot tell you how to be restored or what you need to do to get back in position with Christ, that is the wrong spirit to deal with. I thank God that every time that I have had to minister to a person who may have an unclean spirit influencing them, He has always given the solution to the problem and the steps the person must take to be restored. Every time! So to the church at Ephesus this would be no different.
Christ gives them counsel to know the exact steps to take to be restored. The first step and I pray everyone reads this and the Spirit shouts it loud: REPENT! You need to change your mind from what you are currently doing. But change to what? Christ tells them. Do the first works. What are the first works? That is the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 to go make disciples of all nations, preach the Kingdom of God, and preach repentance for the remission of sin. Do the very things that Christ has told you to do. So Ephesus was told exactly what to do to be restored. Now in as much as He tells you the result of obedience, Jesus also tells us the result of disobedience. Revelation 2:5: ..”or else, I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
What is Jesus saying? If you do not repent and do the works of Christ as He has commanded you to do then He will remove thy candlestick out of his place. Remember the candlestick represent the churches. So God will remove that church, those believers who fail to repent from His presence. This is a very serious promise, not a threat. Disobedience and sin will not be tolerated from the Father in Heaven. He cannot stand the sight of sin and you will not stand in His presence living in sin and if you choose not to live right as he has called you and commanded you to do then He will remove you from His presence.
In the last message in this section of the church at Ephesus we will look at the last commendation given to the church at Ephesus which is they hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes which also Jesus hates. And if Jesus hates it then we definitely do not want to do it.
At the Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.
