Sermon – “Right Activities, Wrong Motives”

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. 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.”’

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

This morning the message is titled. Right activities. Wrong motives and. Just kind of amazed that so much of what I’ve prepared here today how much it goes along with what. David brought out in Sabbath school what is the purpose of the church. And we’re going to be talking about a church today. In Revelations. Revelations Chapter two verses one through six. Here the word of the Lord. To the angel of the Church of epis is right. These thing says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand. Who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands. I know your works. Your labors. Your patience. And that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles in are not and have found them liars. And you have persevered and have patience and have labored for my name sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen. Repent and do the first works or else I will come to you quickly. And remove your lamp stand from its place. Unless you repent. But this you have that you hate the deeds of the Nicholl ations. Which I also hate. He who has an ear. Let him hear what the Spirit says. To the churches. To Him Whoever comes I will give to eat. From the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. May God out his blessings to the here and in the reading of His Holy Word. Let us pray. While the we do thank you and praise you for your word and I just pray that your word will be proclaimed today. God may your word. Reach down deep into the inner most part of our being May it. Reach into that fertile ground or God may move us May it. Shake us if we need shaken or may have strength in the US if we need. Strength and follow God I just pray that your word will have an impact in our lives far pray that you would. That your spirit fruit flow freely in this place today. In Jesus Name. Amen. Today’s text. Is the first. Of seven letters written. To the churches in Revelations. So John wrote letters to seven different churches. Now these were. This is not just an illustration this is not a fictional church. That he’s talking about here that he’s writing to. This is an actual church with. Honest to goodness real people when it. I don’t know if anyone has seen a Chevrolet commercial It begins with real people not actors. And I say to Karen. That proves actors are real people. But these are real people real churches that were operating. During John’s day. Actual letters that he wrote and sent to the church. The apostle John is right he what the Lord Jesus revealed to him in a vision. And he says write these letters to the angels of the church like. To the angel the Church of emphasis. What is he talking about what angels are an angel watching over this church. Know what they’re talking about there the angel is the elder or the leader of the church. So that letter went to the elder to the pastor. Of that church to share with the church or to examine the church. Who is he who holds the seven stars of the walks amongst the mists of eleventh seven seven Lamb stance. Is none other but the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who holds the stars. And walks among the lamb stands. Jesus began by saying to the church of episodes. I know your works. I know your works I know your labors. He knows. That’s the key. You know I can remember as a very young Christian. And I don’t remember who it was it. Shared this with us. I think it was that whole Bible study. But they said you know if you are engaged in an activity or practicing something that you would not want. Jesus Christ to see you doing. You better stop doing it because he knows he see there was a little boy named Tommy leaving church one day leave in Bible study. And on his way from the church. A stranger said. Young man he says I’ll tell you what he said I’ll give you a dollar if you tell me where God is. Well quick witted little Tommy says sir. I’ll give you a dollar if you tell me worry isn’t. Up. You tell me where God is not yet where isn’t he. Jesus who is the head of the church. Is the only one who can accurately. Inspect each and every church. Now what’s the church made up of individuals people. So this is meant for real people to it’s meant for individuals not just the church as a whole but for individuals. Because he is able to know the. Not only the X. turning things of the church and of the people but the internal thing seized. Able to know the heart of the church. And the heart of every little. Every single individual in that church. To school right along with it just as a carry over of Sabbath school. You know. Kids What does an X. ray machine do with a hospital. So what’s an X. ray machine do. What will reveal. It will reveal your bones if you fall down and you break an arm you think you broke an arm. But you’re not sure you go to the hospital and they’re going to do an X. ray. To reveal that arm is broken or they’ll do an M.R.I. if properly you know they’ll do these things to see if everything is functioning properly. Or if anything is amiss. But what Jesus is able to do exceeds what. Any X. ray machine can do or what Emmett any. M.R.I. machine can do. Because I’m going to tell you sometimes these X. ray machines. Don’t get it right. There was a few years back that I had a dream Lee bad. Chest cold it turned out to be. But although some ways and you know. Maybe you ought to go get an X. ray to make sure you don’t have the moon. So I go off to the hospital. Memorial Hospital to time and I get an X. ray. They didn’t tell me the results of it that day but they wait a few days later they call. And share with care and they say well. Your husband does not have pneumonia he only has the C O P D. And she’s like. What. Yeah he only has a C O P D. Well that put Marlise my life. In a tailspin for a couple weeks. Because they just was under the assumption that we thought I knew I had C A P D. I didn’t. But anyway. It put our life in a tailspin you don’t think and. Wow whenever they mention something that C O P D means chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Anything is mentioned says chronic you’re like whoa whoa. That gets your attention. So we go back to my doctor I call my doctor and he sends me for E. Palminteri function test. While I’m here to tell you if you have a good set of lungs. A poem unary function tests. Makes you think you’re sick. I’m telling you they are brutal. Because as it turned out I didn’t have a super D but after having that thing up thought I was sick. I mean they just they just. They were you out. But we finally the doctor said I’m going to send you here for an X. ray and everything was OK. So the X. rays are not one hundred percent. I said all that the say that. But Jesus is always one hundred percent. He is never in correct. In his examination of the church or individuals. If there is one speck of jealousy in your heart. His X. ray machine. Knows it. If there’s one tiny speck of hatred. In your heart. He knows it first one speck of covetousness. In your heart. He knows it. I don’t need to go on he knows. Proverbs fifteen three says the eyes of the Lord are in every place. Keeping watch on the evil. And the good. He is on this. But the Lord is very gracious he’s very gracious towards the church of emphasis. And he gives kind words of commendation to the church first. And they had many things going right. They had a lot of. They were doing right. You know they were tremendously hard working church. The Lord says I know your labors. I know your works. The word labor is its use they are in this passage means to toil to the point of exhaustion. They were not afraid to work hard. They had a love of labor. But not necessarily a labor of love. There was the problem. They had a little love of labor but not necessarily a labor of love. Former senator former basketball great and Senator Bill Bradley once said during his days at Princeton. That his father would telling. Son. When you were not out practicing. Some one else is when you meet that person they’re going to be cheap so sayin. Anything worth. Wow and long lasting can. Cannot be achieved without hard work. Hard work. If it’s worth doing it’s worth working hard for. Sometimes I wonder if the majority of Americans understand. A strong work ethic. Most of us here have probably been taught a strong work ethic that you need to work hard. I think back to America as beginnings and think how hard. Some of our fathers worked to build the roads and the bridges and the industries and just all the things they worked hard. To have a nice place to live in the churches they build. They work hard they was not afraid to work. Back before the and all the entitlement things came. If you didn’t work you didn’t eat. There was a gentleman name. Oswald Sanders. He was nearing his ninetieth birthday. When he died. While working on his last book. Before Oswald was fifty. He was afflicted with awful right is so badly that he could hardly get out of bed. He could have enjoyed a nice retirement. But instead he entered the most. Procreative years of his life. At age fifty. He left a prosperous career as an attorney in New Zealand. To lead the china. In one mission which is now called that. Overseas Missionary Fellowship. Still operating today. Remarkably as he entered his second and third careers. He was totally freed from the author rightists. After several years of leading the mission he retired from that only to take on the directorship of a Christian college. Then he retired again. A widower twice you know he certainly deserve the rest. But he did rather than rest. He is celebrated his career. Spending the last twenty years of his life. Speaking around the world over three hundred times a year and writing books. So he died writing a book. His respect grew and grew. Though he never sought the limelight. Hard work. He was not afraid of. The if Eason church. They were talking about today. They were a steadfast group. They were patient. The word patience means to endure under trial. You’ve got to think where this church was located. Remember epis as was the city of the great. Goddess Diana. Lots of persecution lots of stuff coming against the church but they’d endured it. So they were strong. They just kept going and going. You know if you compared them to a. Some modern activities of churches today. They probably was operating a soup kitchen. They probably had visitation five nights a week. They had Bible study four nights a week. They had outreach three nights a week. Every Sabbath that met morning and night. They had prayer meeting every morning every evening. You get the picture. They were active. They weren’t afraid of work. They were determined. They wouldn’t stand for false teachers. False preachers first who said and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them to be liars. They would not tolerate sin in the camp. And shouldn’t have. As leaders. They shouldn’t leaders. People. Be leaders of her sin in their lives. The apostles. The apostle Paul had given them warning that false teachers would come in from the outside and some would even Eros from inside the church. So they were right to examine those who profess to be teachers or. Apostles. Verse six in. But this you have that you hate the Nicholl ations which I also hate. Some Bible commentators. Believe that the nickel ations were heretical. Our heritage. Sect who followed the teachings of Nicholas. Whose name means one who conquers the people who was possibly one of the deacons of the early church mention in Acts six five. But they believe it possible that Nicholas became an apostate. The nine a true faith that became part of a group holding the doctrine of bail him who taught Israel. To sin by eating food sacrificed to idols. And by committing sexual immorality. Comment. Of Alexandria said they abandon themselves to leading a life of self-indulgence. So their turn their teaching perverted the grace of God and replaced it with a license to sin. One for says. For certain men have crept in unnoticed. Who long ago were marked out for this condemnation. Ungodly men who turned the grace of our God into lewdness and he not the Lord. Or God and our Lord Jesus Christ. The church is not to compromise. When it comes to God’s standards. We don’t say well. I only four to take a little bit. We don’t say well. I only live just a little bit. We’re not to compromise. We’re not to make excuses. In order to live in a way that is contrary to God’s ways. How many times we heard. It’s not that bad. It’s not that bad of a show. There’s only. Some vile language in it. The only little bit of scenes we shouldn’t see. God will chase in those he loves. Proverbs thirty three eleven three twelve says my son. Do not despise the chasing of the Lord. Nor detest his correction. For whom the Lord loves. He corrects just as a Father the Son in whom he delights. Church don’t despise the chasing of the Lord. We need to heed his chase me. This brings us to the Lord’s condemnation. Towards the Church of epis said that they have left their first love. Meaning that all the things they were doing. Were not motivated by their love for God. Remember what I said. They had a love for labor. But not a labor of love. What is that. First love or the best way I can think to describe it is for those that are married think back or was married think back to the time when you were first started dating. Your wife or husband or boyfriend or girlfriend. Think of that time when you first. Was dating and. You began to fall in love and you were so in love you just couldn’t stop thinking about him or her. You couldn’t wait to see them again or. You couldn’t wait to that next date. You know. Things were so exciting back then weren’t to in honeymoon last for quite a while and you know it’s the same way for new believers. They’re so excited about the Lord to full of passion for the Lord. So excited to tell others about him. But sometimes it seems the same way with marriage as things kind of Rudolph the girl routine. The church sometimes grows routine. We begin to do these things just out of habit. Out of labor. And we forget that love. So husbands. We need to date. Always husbands and wives. We need to continue to date. We don’t stop dating because we’ve been married for thirty seven years right. We need to continue to date. Make it a point. To go out on a date church. We need to date god. You understand what I’m saying we need to make it a point. To have a date with Jesus Christ. To spend some time with him. Return to that first love we once have that passion that we had. We need to return to it. We must guard against coming so. Becoming so busy that we neglect our adoration of the Lord. We could be here at this chirps seven days a week. But we’re just so busy we flew forgot the door the Lord. He’s the one we’re supposed to be here for. Labor in work. Or no substitute for passion. We must have both we can they collect the passion. There’s a passage that tells us where the Lord tells us what we will do. We love him. And this this passage. Really has had a tremendous impact on my life. This passage. Could be the very reason why we’re here today. Here and we’re gathered here and it’s spoke to me and others. John fourteen fifteen to seventeen. The Lord says. Not me. The Lord says. If you love me keep my commandments. I want to pause. What does. His commandments reveal. It reveals his character doesn’t it. So if we keep His commandments rule reveal his character. He says if you love me keep my commandments. And I think this one verses can. Can be a. Stablish as a statement of faith. For this church we’ve talked about it so many times. We are not here today worshipping on the seventh day the Sabbath. Because we feel that we absolutely have to or we can’t we say the mess we do. We’re here because we love him. He says if you love me keep my commandments. We keep His commandments because we love him. We want to do that which is pleasing in the sight of God. Verse sixteen. And I will pray the Father. And he will give you another Helper. That he may abide with you forever. The Spirit of Truth. Whom the world cannot receive. Because it neither sees him. Nor knows him. But you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you. I want to reread this same passage in from The Message Bible. I didn’t send that to David. So the woman in the screen. Listen to this from the message. It says if you love me. Show it by doing what I have told you and sometimes it’s the way they word show it. Show it to me. You’re the whites going to tell you if you love me show me you love me. And they’re right. I mean we don’t go home and Cossar wizened be don’t want to MN. Say I Love You. Well boy you got a funny way a show on it now though if you love me show it by doing what I’ve told you I will talk to the Father and He will provide you another friend. Didn’t Jesus called the friend is closer than a brother or he sent another friend. So the Holy Spirit is your friend. So that you will always have someone with you. This friend is a spirit of truth. The godless world cannot take him in because it does not have eyes to see him. Does not know what to look for. But you know him already. Because he has been staying with you and will be in you. Amen amen church. We have eyes to see him. He is with you the spirit is with you. True Law for the Lord. Is not one that obeys him. Out of fear. Not out of fear of eternal damnation. But out of love for who he is because he is God. Because he is gracious. Because he is passionate. Because he is merciful. Because he is kind. He who has an ear to ear. Church that’s the word today. If you have an ear to hear. Hear what the Spirit says. Return to the first love. And he will give you. To eat of the tree of life. Return to that first love that you. Experience when he was a new believer in a home return to the first low. That you had many years ago was first Mary. He who has ears to hear that I’m here. Jesus loves you God loves you he demonstrated his low in that he sent his son. Let’s love him in return