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Ephesus - The Love Flame Study Guide: Corresponds To Program 7

Ivor Myers -

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ScottandNancy Kennedy
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52 views2 pages

Ephesus - The Love Flame Study Guide: Corresponds To Program 7

Ivor Myers -

Uploaded by

ScottandNancy Kennedy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SISS000007

Corresponds to Program 7

EPHESUS - THE LOVE FLAME STUDY GUIDE


T he seven churches are not only churches located in the
cities of John’s day, but they also represent the church in
all ages from Pentecost to the second coming. The church of
verse four, He begins to bring out the things that are going
on that He is not so pleased about.
It appears as though they have become so caught up in daily
John’s day was Ephesus. The historical period represented by
affairs, personally and in the church, that Jesus is getting left
the Ephesus church is from the time of out. They have ceased putting Jesus
Christ about AD 31 to about AD 100. first, and seem to be doing good works
THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS out of a sense of duty and obligation,
rather than out of love for Him. They
Revelation 2:1-7 NKJV
are not without good works, but it
“To the angel of the church of appears as though they have become
Ephesus write, ‘These things says He self righteous, using their works to
who holds the seven stars in His right commend themselves to God. Jesus
hand, who walks in the midst of the cannot accept this. Unless they repent,
seven golden lampstands: “I know they are in danger of letting their
your works, your labor, your patience, light go out, and being cut off from
and that you cannot bear those who are the eternal home and the tree of life.
evil. And you have tested those who In His mercy, Jesus calls for them to
Unless they repent, they are in
say they are apostles and are not, and repent.
have found them liars; and you have danger of letting their light go
persevered and have patience, and out, and being cut off from the Jesus Among the Candlesticks
have labored for My name’s sake and eternal home and the tree of life. There are two things to note as we
have not become weary. Nevertheless I continue:
have this against you, that you have left
1. Prior to this message Jesus is
your first love. Remember therefore
pictured by John among the 7 candlesticks or churches
from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or
(Revelation 1:20).
else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand
from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you There are two churches of the seven that have no rebuke,
hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. “He who Smyrna and Philadelphia, yet Jesus pictures Himself among
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. all seven churches. He does not separate the two from the
To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, other five.
which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’ 2. Jesus presents His warning with affirmation for what we
In the first three verses, we get a beautiful picture of the are doing well and forgiveness, grace and love for where we
grace and mercy of Jesus toward His people. Here we see are failing.
Him affirming all that they are doing that is good, and He We see Jesus doing this in John 4 with the Samaritan
commends them. He says: “I know your works.” Then in woman who He met at the well. He offered her the water of

KEY SCRIPTURES
Revelation 2:1-7 CHURCH IN EPHESUS John 4:10 JESUS GIVES LIVING WATER
Revelation 1:20 JESUS AMONG CANDLESTICKS Song of Solomon 8:6-7 LOVE IS LIKE A FIRE THAT
CANNOT BE QUENCHED

©2018 Salvation in Symbols and Signs is a production of 3ABN Dare to Dream Network.
life, told her that He was Messiah and then opened up her We lose our first love and think we can be like God by our
life history. His love and acceptance led her to run to tell her works and therefore no longer depend on God. This is the
village about this Man who must be the Messiah because spirit of antichrist or putting self works in the place of Christ.
He knew all she had ever done wrong and yet offered her John heard, saw, and handled the love, forgiveness, light and
salvation. joy of the Word of life. He walked in fellowship with God
Again we see how lovingly Jesus rebukes His disciples in and longed for others to experience the love and joy of Jesus.
Matthew 26. While He foretells the terrible abandonment of This motivated and qualified him to identify the antichrist
His disciples, He promises them that He will go before them (1 John 1).
to Galilee. John identified an antichrist that is a singular power or
They will forsake Him, but He will not forsake them individual as “the antichrist.” In addition to “the antichrist”
(Matthew 26:31-32). Before the denial they have the assurance John also identified “many antichrists.” Therefore antichrist
of forgiveness. Jesus deals with us today as He did with His is not just a singular person or power but is also a spirit or
erring disciples when He was with them. He saturates His experience that is held by “many” individual people who put
rebukes in affirmation, assurance of forgiveness, sympathy their works in the place of Christ’s love (1 John 2:18).
and love. John warned that if you turn away from Jesus and lose
This same truth is illustrated in the priestly garments worn your first love you personally individually take on the spirit
by Christ. According to Exodus 28:4 on these garments was of antichrist (1 John 2:22).
a breastplate containing the names of the 12 tribes of Israel The Love Flame
signifying that Christ bears His people on His heart.
In the Song of Solomon love is like a fire that cannot be
Losing our First Love quenched (Song of Solomon 8:6-7). In Matthew 25 the love
The long list of their works is very likely one of the reasons of the Holy Spirit is like oil that keeps our love flame burning
why this church is in danger of losing its first love for Christ. brightly for Jesus (Matthew 25:1-9).
Often, “the greatest competitor of our love for Jesus is our Paul in his Epistles also spoke to 7 churches in Rome, Corinth,
service for Jesus.” (Oswald Chambers). Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossia, and Thessalonica. In all
The first temptation brought to Eve in Eden was to gain of these letters he warned of dangers facing the church. And
the knowledge of good and evil so that she could be like in all of them, like the letters to the churches in Revelation, he
God and therefore no longer depend on God, but become pointed the believers to Jesus, our first love, as the remedy for
self-dependent. The connection between this first church every failure and sin. Jesus was the solution then and Jesus is
and Eden is found in the promise to Ephesus, “To him that the solution now.
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the
paradise of God” Revelation 2:7.

Personal Application
Is it your desire to see that your love for Jesus as you labor for Him will not go out?__________________

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