MISSION WOODS CHURCH
Worship, Sunday, September 21, 2025
      • Bible Trivia
        Loading...
      • Bible Trivia
        Loading...
      • Bible Trivia
        Loading...
  • Arise Shine
  • Shine Jesus Shine
  • Create In Me
  • Change My Heart, O God

      • Revelation 2:1ESV

      • Revelation 2:2-3ESV

      • Revelation 2:4-6ESV

      • Revelation 2:7-8ESV

      • Revelation 2:9ESV

      • Revelation 2:10ESV

      • Revelation 2:11ESV

  • As we come to this morning’s text we’re in our third week in the book of Revelation. We’ve come to the letters to the seven churches.
    The seven churches are the first sevenfold series in the book, and each letter has a pattern:
    The royal author describes himself in terms of chapter 1.
    “I know” introduces his diagnosis of the churches condition, both positive(except for Sardis and Laodicea) and negative (except for Smyrna and Philadelphia).
    Comfort and commands flow from the diagnosis
    Command to hear and heed all the letters. All of the churches are commanded to hear and heed all of the letters (“what the Spirit says to the churches.)
    A blessing is promised. A blessing is promised to “the one who conquers,” fore shadowing the final visions in the last chapters of the book.
    These churches are important, so I don’t want to gloss over them. So this morning we’re going to look at the first two churches: Ephesus and Smyrna.
    So let’s dive in.

    1. Commendation without Complacency

    The first letter is about Ephesus. Ephesus was an important port city on the west coast of Asia, its temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. It boasted a large theater that could hold up to 20,000 and was a central hub of economic prosperity.
    The first thing we note is who this letter is addressed to. It’s not addressed simply to the church, but it is addressed to the “angel of the church” in each of the seven cities.
    Revelation 2:1 ESV
    “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
    What are we to make of that? We’re not told. Perhaps one thing we can ba assured of is that the spiritual relm and our earthly relm are not as far apart as we might think.
    The praise: Rev 2:2
    Revelation 2:2 ESV
    “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
    Works, toil, patient endurance, not putting up with evil, and able to test those who might call themselves apostles and are not - so they had a discerning spirit.
    There is so much there for us. Last week we dedicated a lot of work done by members of our church. We support the local food bank. Last week we put together a team of 8, not just 7, but 8 people as part of the One Prisoner One Parish ministry, and I’m excited to see the way we will grow through that experience.
    Despite all these good works, Ephesus was warned.

    2. Rekindle Your First Love

    As we get to verse 4 we come across that contradictory conjunction, “But”. Rev 2:4
    Revelation 2:4 ESV
    But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
    What is “the love you had at first?” Many have determined that this is our love for Christ. It is true if you are going through the motions of looking like you have faith on the outside - you attend church, you give generously to charity, you serve others, perhaps you even serve in the church - but when it comes to your spiritual health and your love for Christ you know it’s not the same as it once was.
    I read a statistics tell once: Most Christians were led to Christ by someone who had been a Christian less than two years.
    I don’t remember where I read that or I’d quote the study, but my experience bears that out. As a new Christian I led several of my friends and roommates to Christ in those early years of my faith.
    As we grow older and mature in our faith that passion can fade. I don’t want that to happen in my life, and I don’t want it to happen in yours.
    The other option for the meaning of “first love” could be the love that we have for others. Yes, we may look like we’re that loving person we aspire to be - the question is what is in our heart? Jesus tells John, “I know”.
    Jesus sees through the facade, and so as we read this letter all of us are encouraged to do some self reflection on who we are, what our faith is.
    Have you ever truly made a commitment to follow Jesus? I’ve said so many times, “the greatest life you can possibly live is the life for which you were created. You were created to live in relationship with God. If you’ve never honestly said, “I choose to follow Christ,” please do not leave here this morning without at least talking to someone about it. I don’t want to be coerce anyone, I don’t do the high pressure altar calls - they can be manipulative. However, if you in your heart are feeling like, I need to get right with God, I want to know more about Jesus. Or perhaps you just can’t believe Jesus could love you - please do not leave here without talking to someone. And yes, I’m putting a bit of pressure on our congregation here because most of you have been attending church for more than a few years and should be able to answer questions. I’m here as well, to support all of you.
    Has it been a while since you really prayed? Take the time to pray, don’t forget to spend time in silence listening.
    Has it been a while since you read your Bible? Take it up and read.
    Has it been a while since you spent time reflecting on God’s Word? Journaling is a great way to do it. So it talking with others. Perhaps you could join one of our Bible studies, or start your own!
    Wherever you are in your journey of faith, recommit to following Him passionately, remembering love is the essence of all godly action and joy.
    Then Jesus closes the letter to Ephesus as he closes most of the seven letters: Rev 2:7
    Revelation 2:7 ESV
    He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
    Here we read for us all to “hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Each of these messages is not just for the one church, it’s for all the churches.
    We move on to Smyrna, and as I noted earlier there is not a rebuke for them. Smyrna was another harbor city renowned for its temple to the Mother Goddess and for provincial imperial cult temples to Tiberius and Hadrian. It was said to have been a beautiful city with paved streets, a library, a gymnasium, and a shrine to Homer, who may have been born there. There is said to have been Jewish opposition to Christians there.

    3. Endurance unto Eternity

    When we read what’s going on in Smyrna we find words like tribulation, poverty, slander, and suffering.
    Revelation 2:9 ESV
    “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
    Such an uplifting message, right? Perhaps the greatest lie I hear in Christian circles is that “if you follow Jesus everything will be great!”
    Perhaps you’ve heard of something called the “prosperity Gospel”, which tells us things like: God wants us to prosper (which is true)! but then conflates that to be equal to God wants us to be rich; God wants us to be healthy; God wants us to have everything we could ever want.
    Now there is a part of that I can agree with - where we get confused is too many people believe it means in this life. In these verses to the church in Smyrna, after hearing of tribulation and poverty, and slander, we read, Rev 2:10
    Revelation 2:10 ESV
    Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
    Oy! Prison? Tribulation? Death?
    Ah, but the promise of the crown of life. Jesus conquered death, through Christ we too can have victory over death and receive that crown of life. This is the Gospel promise. This is the good news.

    So What?

    So we read these two letters and like any other part of the Bible we shouldn’t just read it and think, well that was nice and just leave it at that. No, this is written to the churches and through them to us.
    This passage serves as a reminder that even in the face of adversity and challenges in our faith, God calls us to be steadfast and to rekindle our love for Him and others.
    If you’re struggling with faith, doubt, or burnout, the message of these passages reassures us that Christ acknowledges our hardships and urges us to overcome them through His strength.
    We’re living in challenging times. As a Christians we’re called to love, and for those who have perhaps forgotten what that means I refer you to 1 Cor 13: 4-8
    1 Corinthians 13:4–8 NIV
    Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
    Each one of us are invited to carry that light into this world, bringing hope, and bringing faith. These letters remind us of that. It all brings glory to God.
    Amen.
    Let me pray for you.

      • Revelation 2:1ESV

      • Revelation 2:2ESV

      • Revelation 2:4ESV

      • Revelation 2:7ESV

      • Revelation 2:9ESV

      • Revelation 2:10ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 13:4–8ESV

  • More Precious Than Silver
  • Now I Belong To Jesus
      • Bible Trivia
        Loading...
MISSION WOODS CHURCH
info@missionwoodschurch.org
(253) 922-5555
http://www.missionwoodschurch.org
30 members • 1 follower