Louie Giglio - Dear Church, I Love You... But
We have a break in the action at the end of chapter one, and now our eyes move to chapter two, but there was no chapter one and chapter two as John is before Jesus. So, Jesus just continues in chapter two. And I want you to just take it all in. Chapter two, let’s just look at it for a moment, and then chapter three, what do you notice? What does anyone notice? Obviously, it’s all red, these are the red letters. It’s Jesus, no breaks, no stop, no man’s voice, just all the risen Jesus speaking now. And He says in chapter two, «To the angel of the church in Ephesus write». And then He begins these seven messages to seven churches.
What I wanted you to know just before we really dive in a little bit today is, that these are real places. We looked at this a few weeks ago, but modern day Turkey allows us to kinda figure out where we are in world geography. But then, here are the seven churches: Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Ephesus, Smyrna, and here is Patmos where John is because of his faith in Jesus. He’s on this island in a work camp, if you will, because tradition tells us they tried to kill John, but they couldn’t kill him. So, they put him on this island for the rest of his life. And he’s somewhere, late 80s, 90, 85, 92, we’re not 100% sure how old he is, still following Jesus at this stage of life. And he’s caught up into heaven and he gets a revelation of Jesus and Jesus says, «I want you to write a letter to these seven churches».
And so, Jesus begins to dictate what that letter is all about. I want you to know today that these people in these churches are real people. These are not like bible characters, they’re people with jobs, and businesses and families. They’re trying to weave their life into community, and into culture and they’re like you and like me. They got connections in all of these cities, but, something new has happened. For the first time in history, hello, a new philosophy has been injected into humanity called the Gospel. Never has the gospel impacted any of these people in Asia before. But now the gospel is waking people up to a brand new way to have a relationship with God.
The way, to have a relationship with God. Thus, they’re called, the People Of The Way, that they might not be referred to in some of these cities as, «Oh she’s a Christian. Or she goes to XYZ church». They were like, «She’s one of the ones who is a follower of the way». A new way, the way, the Jesus way is now in the story. And it’s bumping into the way people do business, it’s bumping into the way that people do relationships, it’s bumping into the way that people practice their religion. It’s bumping into everything in the world, and it’s not going great for everybody as a new way bumps into the old way. These people have real challenges in life, all of them are facing pressures because of The Way.
So, we got real places, real people under real challenge, but we also see in this the importance of the people of God, the church. And the seven churches have some things in common. In each of the seven messages, we’re gonna see some things. We’re gonna dive into two of 'em today. We see in number one that there are seven churches, the churches being perfected. We see number two, that Jesus in every message describes Himself differently. As He comes to each church, we’ll see this today, He announces Himself in a different way. And He’s reaching back to the revelation that He has revealed to John. And He describes different facets of His glory.
Each church is doing something good, we’ll see that today. Most of the churches also, while doing something good, have something to repent of. And fifth, each church, in each message at the end, if they endure in Christ are promised an eternal reward. That eternal reward is eternal life, but he describes the eternal life differently to every single church. So, Let’s look at the first message. «To the angel of the church in Ephesus write, 'These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.'»
So, that’s how He announces Himself. He announces Himself different in the next message, but in this one, «The guy with the seven stars in His right hand, the guy that is in the midst of the lampstand, I am He and I am speaking to you, Ephesus». «I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I have this against you, you have forsaken your first love.
Remember the height from which you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor, you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God». How’d you like to get that message? Directly from the risen, reigning Christ. Each of these we see the description, the reigning Christ. He’s not coming in off the street and saying, «Hi, how’s everybody»? He’s coming in announcing, «I’m the one with the seven stars in my right hand. I’m the one reigning in the midst of the church».
And then I love this phrase, I think it might be and has been very challenging for me, and I think it is for all of us today that in every one of these messages, Jesus begins with the same words. He says, «I know. I know». There is nothing today that Jesus doesn’t know. So, He’s not rolling around in church today going, «Hi, how you doing? Good to see you. Nice to see you too. Oh yeah, praise God. It’s amazing. Isn’t this great»? No, He’s just looking at all of us going, «I know. I know. Maybe she doesn’t know, I know. Maybe he doesn’t know, I know. Maybe they don’t know, I know. I am seeing you, but I’m also seeing through».
So, my message today is not based on the outward appearance, this message is based on the heart. And He says to Ephesus… Ephesus is a key city. I mean, Paul had written a letter that we all love to the church in Ephesus. We have Ephesians, a powerful text. An important city playing a vibrant role in the world of this time. We’re still 96 AD, it’s early first century after the resurrection of Jesus. Important city, and He goes, «I know and here’s what I know. I know your deeds, check. Great. I know your hard work, thank you, amazing. And I know your perseverance, I am applauding you. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, thank you. I know that you’ve tested those who claim to be apostles but aren’t. That’s important, thank you. I know that you have persevered».
In other words, as this new way as coming into the old way, there’s a lot of friction. «And you’ve persevered, and you’ve even endured hardships, thank you, for my name. And you’ve not grown weary, thank you». Amazing, Ephesus is not doing terrible, Ephesus is got a lot going on, Ephesus has a lot to hold on to. But then He quickly turns, because with Him the bar is set high. He’s not going, «Hey, this is all great and the other stuff we’ll just let that slide». He’s like, «No, you’re my bride and you’re going to be perfect in the end and I’m perfecting you even right now».
So, with the encouragement, let me also if I can, point out to where things need to change. So, He says, «Yet,» In verse 4, «I hold this against you». That feels very personal and a little bit adversarial to me. I’m telling you, Jesus isn’t safe. He never claimed to be. He’s Holy, Holy, Holy and He’s an all-consuming fire, and He’s inviting us nearby grace, but He’s not safe. When He comes to His church He says, «I have something against you, not just I’m a little unhappy about this, but I hold this against you».
He’s not really, I don’t think, trying to be that adversarial today. He’s just letting us know today that it’s either you’re with me or you’re not with me. There’s not really a lot of middle ground or any middle ground we’ll see in this last letter today. Here’s what I have against you. What is it? What are they not doing right? «You have forsaken your first love». «There was a time», in other words, «when salvation meant so much to you that it was just an overflow of life for you to be in love with me. And everything was, 'I am so thrilled, I am so happy, I am so moved, I am so overwhelmed, I am so grateful, I cannot get enough of this.'»
Do you remember that time in your relationship with Jesus? I know for me, I dialed back, and you don’t wanna look back for that time, you really wanna look here for that time. But I remember when my story changed, freshman at Georgia State University. And my story went from a me story, to a we story. I went from somebody who was a kid born in church almost, to somebody who had a revelation of Jesus in my life. And my life changed. My family lived in Smyrna at the time in an apartment. There was a bus, I don’t know how and why, and I don’t know if it still runs. But, a greyhound bus that came from Marietta to Downtown Atlanta, near where the tabernacle is now.
And I would walk up the street from my house, get on that bus in the morning, ride that bus down to Georgia State, start my day at school. And I mean, it was like I was floating through time. Every moment that I wasn’t engaged, listening to a lecture, or reading a school textbook, or talking to another human being, or waiting for the light to change so I could cross the street in downtown. Every moment was a conversation with Jesus. And in that season of my life, everything had changed, and it had changed so radically that it was if Jesus and I were walking through life in real time.
And He’s saying, «Do you guys remember that Ephesus? Do you remember that? Do you remember when the fire was hot? Do you remember when Jesus was that real? Do you remember when everything was Jesus? I need you to get back to that». He says, «Repent and do the things you did at first». So, it feels a little bit like He’s shifting here. You’ve forsaken your first love, do the things you did at first. I don’t think He’s saying, «You’ve forsaken your first love, now here’s a list of things I need you to do».
I think the thing He needs them to do, is to remember the first love. It’s like the Psalmist said in Psalm 51, «Restore unto me». What? «The joy of your salvation». Restore in my life God the joy of your salvation. I’m doing some of the stuff, I can check some of the boxes. My deed’s not terrible. Hard work, I’m hanging in there. Perseverance, great. You’re not tolerating wicked men, and people who claim to be false teachers and they say they’re apostles but they’re not. You persevered and you’ve endured and you’re hanging in there, but what I need you to do is to get back to the place where it’s not just about the things you do for me, it’s about the love that you have with me. He says, «Get back to that. Or you know what, I might just take the lampstand. Cause I don’t need a church that is all about the form, and has missed the power of knowing what it is to be in love with me».
And so, He’s calling them back. This church, let me just tell you a couple of things about this church. This church was started by Paul. this is a great church. At some point, Paul had the assistance of Priscilla and Aquila, remember them? Amazing couple who discipled and built up the church. Later in life, Timothy, Paul’s protege, took over pastoring this church. At some point, Timothy is martyred for his faith, and you know who becomes the leader of this church? John, the guy writing the letter. And you know who comes with him to Ephesus?
The person Jesus said to him, «And take care of her»? And who is her? His mom. So somewhere along the way, Mary, the mother of Jesus had made her way up to Ephesus. Can you imagine, sitting in church with Mary the mother of Jesus? So, they’re probably at this writing still eyewitnesses of the resurrection in this church. «Anybody got a Jesus story»? «I got one». «Anybody wanna argue the resurrection»? «Don’t argue with me, I saw Him».
So, this church has got a phenomenal history, and it’s only 50 years old. Resurrection is happening in the mid 30s We’re up now to the 90s. Fifty, sixty years have gone by since Paul has established this little body of believers, which has come, the church is now receiving this letter. This isn’t a 300 year old church, this isn’t a church with dust on the back of the shelves in the hallway going to the choir room. This church is only a few decades old. But I’m telling you, depreciation happens fast in the human heart. And even though some of them could’ve looked down the way and seen Mary the mother of Jesus, the fire went out.
The love of God got quelched. By what? Love of other things. And we’re still doing the right stuff, we just lost the fire for Jesus. And so, He’s saying to us, «There’s still time to turn». It’s interesting that Paul wrote to this church, and he said, «I’m writing to you». And when Paul is writing he’s writing around AD 60, so this is really just, you know, 30 years ago they’re getting this letter from Paul. They’re about to get one from Jesus. And in Paul’s letter he says, «So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power together».
There’s that We, again. «With all the saints to grasp how wide, and how long, and how high, and how deep is the love of Christ. And to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God». God is writing to them words that we have all quoted, memorized and proclaimed in our lifetime, thousands of years later, that together we can know how high and how wide, and how long, and how deep is the love of God and be filled up in that love to the very fullness of God. And to that very same church now Jesus is writing and saying, «What happened to the love»?
I need you to go back to where you were at the start. I need you to go back to your first love. And He says, «And if you do, which I hope that you will, I will give you the right to eat from the tree of life». Remember the tree of life in Genesis, in the midst of the garden? «Which is in the paradise of God». Let’s look really quickly at the last letter. «To the angel of the church in Laodicea write, 'These are the words of the Amen.'» So not holding the seven stars, I am, but not in announcing. Not in the midst of the lampstands, I am, but not announcing that. Announcing this, «These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation».
And what does He say? Hello? I know. «I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other. So, because you are lukewarm». Hello Laodicea? «Neither hot nor cold I’m about to spit you out of my mouth». Again, not necessarily adversarial, but a little adversarial. «Hello church, I have the seven stars, I’m in the midst of the seven lampstands, hey, I need to talk to you guys. If something doesn’t change here, I am going to vomit».
Maybe not that exact expression, but you get the idea. «You say, 'I’m rich and have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked»? Now interestingly, if you dig into each one of these letters you will see that they fit into the cultural milieu if you will, of the city of the moment. So, Ephesus, maging, powerful, center of commerce, banking, strong. Ephesus, known for its clothing industry, and Ephesus known for its eye salve, that people would come from far away to put this salve on their eyes to heal certain eye diseases.
That’s Ephesus. And so, what does Jesus say? «Let me use some of your language. You say, 'I’m rich and acquired wealth and do not need anything.' But do you not realize you’re wretched, pitiful, poor, blind.' Hello? And naked? I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich. And white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve,» I know you guys are known for that. «To put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am».
Man, I have preached this verse so many times in my life, «I stand at the door and knock». This is Jesus, He’s saying, «I’m right here, knocking. I coulda said, 'Forget you, you’re lukewarm, I’m moving on.' But no, I’m knocking. I coulda said, 'I got six other churches and sixty-six beyond that and I got thousands more beyond that. I’m out.' No, but I’m not, I’m knocking». The reigning Christ with the sword in His mouth, eyes of fire, hair white like wool. Face like the sun shining at full strength is standing at the door, knocking. With this promise. First it’s, you know, «Gonna spit you out of my mouth».
But then He really quickly flips back and grace is in story again, «If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I’ll give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches». «You say you got it all together, but in fact you really don’t have anything together. But if you come to me, I can put it all together. I’m knocking». It’s interesting, as I was digging the last few weeks in the text, and under the text, and around the text as much as I could, I realized that a lot of what I had been preaching at youth camps and youth conferences all my life, was probably not accurate.
I’ve been preaching this text, and I mean you can preach this to a gymnasium full of teenagers. «I wish that you were hot or cold. Hot meaning, on fire for God, in love with God, return to your first love. Still overjoyed with grace to the point that you just can’t get enough of Jesus. Or I wish that you were cold. Over here, don’t believe in God, don’t care about God, nothing going in on your life that’s good». God would rather you be an atheist than He would rather you be lukewarm. Hot or Cold, He’d rather you be hot or cold. He’d rather you not believe in Him than be lukewarm. Well, I think there’s some validity to that idea because maybe the worst kind of Christian is the Christian that really isn’t a Christian.
But I don’t think that’s maybe what we’re getting at in this particular text knowing about Laodicea. Knowing that their neighbor town had hot springs that were known all over for healing. People would come to that area, and they would go to the hot springs because they could get healed there. On the other side of them was Colossae, and Colossae had these cool refreshing pools of water that would spring up. And people would go there just for the enjoyment and the refreshment of being in this cool water. In this area, this part of the world, to be able to get in cold water was a thing. Or I need healing, to get in that hot water is a thing. That’s helping and healing, that is cool and refreshing.
But in Laodicea, they didn’t have a good water source, so their water came a long way via viaducts and by the time it got to them, it was not super clean and it wasn’t cold, and it wasn’t hot. They were getting lukewarm water every day, and no one came to Laodicea for the water. «We got hot springs. We got cool refreshing pools. You guys got nothin. You got bland, ordinary, came from too far away, doesn’t heal anybody, doesn’t refresh anybody. That’s what you guys look like. And I wish you were hot or cold, but this lukewarm middle thing, that’s not me. So, you say you got it all, but in truth, you need an overhaul. And I’ve got good news, I’m standing at the door and I’m knocking again today».