WHEN THE FLAME BECOMES AN EMBER

WE’VE GOT MAIL #1/7 Stockwell Road MBC
July 12, 2009 MW
WHEN THE FLAME BECOMES AN EMBER
Revelation 2:1-7
INTRODUCTION:
A. These two chapters in the Book of Revelation contain 7 letters written to 7 Churches located throughout Asia. They are love letters written by the hand of John from the heart of God. Jesus had a word for each of these churches and He also has a word for us as well. You see THEY GOT MAIL and today WE’VE GOT MAIL. There are 3 ways that we need to view these letters this morning.
1. PROPHETICALLY…each one represents a different time period in Church history; Ephesus represents the first Church through around 100AD.
2. PRACTICALLY…a letter to the Church at Ephesus is a letter to Stockwell Road MBC.
3. PERSONALLY…Churches are made of individuals, of families of people.

B. I read a story of a man who had quit coming to Church. The pastor went to visit him and found him in his living room in front of the fire. After exchanging pleasantries a moment of awkward silence happened. The pastor reached down with some tongs and grabbed a red hot glowing piece of wood that was on fire and pulled it out of the fire and placed on the brick surrounding the fireplace. Slowly, the fire died and all that was left was an ember. Then the pastor put the wood back in the fire and it began to glow again and was ablaze again. The man looked at the pastor and said, “I’ll be in Church again this Sunday.”

C. The Church at Ephesus had gone from being on fire for the Lord to being just a little ember. The reason…they had left their first love! Listen, this Church was begun by Paul who spent 2 years there, Timothy pastured there, Aquila and Priscilla labored there, and John lived there and wrote his Gospel from Ephesus. This place had experienced the best but now we find them according to v. 4 having left their first love. What happened?

D. Sadly, from time to time, Churches tend to rest on their laurels a bit and get lazy. The fire of evangelism, Christian education and Revival tend to fade to an ember. We find ourselves going through the motions instead of being moved by the Master. Sunday after Sunday, we plead for that ember to be fanned back into a flame. The Lord Jesus gives us the keys to how we can fan that ember back to a flame. Notice, as Jesus examines the Ephesus MBC, He tells them what must be done to keep the flame alive. If He knows the heart of the Ephesian Church; doesn’t it stand to reason that He knows the heart of Stockwell Road MBC this morning?

BODY:
I. THE POWER OF THE CHURCH vs. 1
note: The first verse is actually an introduction or a salutation. The Lord is telling us who is speaking and who He is speaking too. However, we see much more than a simple introduction.
A. His Authority Over the Church
B. His Activity In the Church

II. THE PASSION OF THE CHURCH vs. 2-3, 6, Eph. 2:10, II Cor. 6:17, Eph. 5:1-8
A. The Service of the Church v. 2
1. works—solid effort—your best
2. labor—intense work
3. patience—steadfast endurance
note: The Church at Ephesus knew some things that we often forget. A Church can’t be built by herself. A Church can’t sustain herself…it takes people of passion, people of commitment!
B. The Separation of the Church v. 2b
C. The Standards of the Church v. 3, 6

III. THE PROBLEMS OF THE CHURCH vs. 4
A. Disappointment—“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee…”
B. Diagnosis—“thou hast left thy first love.”
Note: leaving our first love: love Church…not Him, Love doctrine, not Him.
First love—fervent—all you think about
First love—extravagant—Mary’s alabaster box
First love—love or duty—Jacob and Rachel Gen 29

IV. THE PLAN FOR THE CHURCH vs. 5
A. Remember—how did you feel?
B. Repent—turn away from—change of mind leads to change in behavior
C. Repeat—Do the first works!
D. Removal—ceases to be an effective Church if the candle is removed!

V. THE PROMISE FOR THE CHURCH vs. 7
A. A Reminder about Our Reward—the tree of life
B. A Reminder about Our Reality—in Heaven

CONCLUSION:
Are you serving Jesus out of duty or love for Him? Are you fervently serving Him today? If not then you must remember, repent and repeat or be removed.