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Revelation chapter 1 and we're going to start a new series and it says here in Revelation chapter 1 verse 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia okay so there are seven churches that this book of Revelation was written to you know there's a lot of churches that basically do not read through the book of Revelation they do not teach through the book of Revelation and I'm not going to be teaching through the book the whole book of Revelation for this series but I do want to look at these seven churches that the book of Revelation was written to and compare our church as it were to the seven churches okay there's a reason why seven churches have been picked out which are in Asia and that would be Asia Minor or the area of Turkey as we know today and so the title for the series at least is the seven churches the seven churches and we're going to look at each of the seven churches so it's a seven part series now before I get into the first church that's mentioned there in the book of Revelation let's start there in verse number 10 Revelation chapter 1 verse number 10 John says I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last who would say these words the Lord Jesus Christ amen of course I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and then it says this and what thou seest write in a book that's the book of Revelation and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia then he gives us the list of the churches unto Ephesus that's the first one mentioned so the first church I'm going to be looking at tonight is Ephesus keeps going there unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea and I say and unto Phephirist because everything that we read in the Word of God is for us to learn from okay and then it keeps going there verse number 12 and I turn to see the voice that spake with me and being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks now the book of Revelation can be a little cryptic a little symbolic but if we just keep things within context we already saw seven churches being mentioned and then he turns around sees that voice and John also sees seven golden candlesticks so if we've got seven churches we've got seven golden candlesticks what should the candlesticks represent should represent seven churches really in fact let's drop down to verse number 16 it says and he had in his right hand seven stars so you see there seven candlesticks and seven stars what could these stars be and out of his mouth when a sharp two-edged sword hey what else is called a sharp two-edged sword the Bible yeah I haven't got a Bible right here anyway the Bible okay anyway this these are the words that come out of the mouth of God of course he is the Word of God all right but then it says and his countenance was as the Sun shineth in his strength all right so let's learn more about the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks drop down to verse number 20 the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches did you know each church has an angel so in what sense well don't get to don't get to you know don't take this too far okay I know when we think about the word angel we often think about the heavenly host I know we often think about you know maybe the cherubims and the seraphims and the and you know the the angels with wings as they were or those angels that came proclaimed you know the birth of Christ but don't get too carried away with that word angel you know the word angel means messenger I'm sure you've heard of the title the an evangelist now you think of that word evangelist you've got the letters ev ev and then you got angel ev angel lest okay why is angel there because angel just means messenger okay and ev that prefix means good good messenger is the evangelist why because he comes bringing glad tidings the good news of the gospel that is the role of the evangelist yes an evangelist is an angel okay now this angel is the messenger of the church and you know I truly believe I think most preachers believe of course that this has to do the pastor or the main preacher of that church the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawrest are the seven churches so when God looks down at blessed about the church you know symbolically to him it represents a candlestick and listen should that candlestick be that be on yeah it should be lit up there should be a flame right there's a flame that brings wharf a flame that brings lights and that is the goal of our church to bring forth the the light of God's Word the glide of God's glorious gospel and just like the pastor there an angel you know it's represented by the seven stars and when we think about the stars again we think about an object that brings forth lights and of course the job of the preacher the job of the church is proclaimed the lights and who is Jesus Christ since the light of God's Word the light of his glory that is who we promotes all right now the importance of going for these seven churches is we don't want to be a candlestick that gets that gets put out we don't want to be a candlestick does not that does not bring forth heats we don't want to be a candlestick that does not bring forth any lights okay we don't lose that effectiveness of the candlestick you know when I think about warmth it's not it can be comforting kind you know a kind of thing that brings forth warmth it can be comforting when you're feeling a little bit cold but if you get a little bit too close to the lights and so that warmth you can get burnt a little bit and that's what it is to preach God's Word you know it can be comforting at times especially when you have a famine of God's Word and you feel a little bit cold spiritually it's just great to hear God's Word but sometimes your face is getting ripped sometimes your toes are getting stepped on sometimes the preaching touches upon your sin or touches upon your life and you feel like kind of burns a little bit well praise God that the candlestick is on it's time to get a little bit sometimes and praise God when it shines light and clears some darkness and confusion of your life and so this is why it's so important that we go through this series of the seven churches now let's go to Revelation chapter 2 verse number 1 so that was just an introduction there this is why we're going through it Revelation chapter 2 verse number 1 and the title for the the first sermon of this series is the Church of Ephesus the Church of Ephesus it says there in verse number 1 so who's holding the seven stars in his right hand? Jesus these are the words of Jesus okay who holds the seven stars in his right hand now brethren verse number one gives me a lot of comfort because it tells me here that if I just serve faithfully as a pastor you know if our goal is to be a my goal is to be a star you know our church's goal is to be a lit candlestick it says that these stars are held in his right hand what a great place to be as a pastor what a privilege what an honor to know that my life is being held in the right hand of Jesus Christ I don't want to move from there let's stay there let's stay there in the right hand of Christ and not only that but for the rest of the church and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks and we really you know I've covered this extensively in previous sermons but Jesus Christ is in the midst of us tonight he's here today you know he's here tonight you know listening to the preaching listening to your singing you know receiving the praise receiving the worship we're here to be in the midst of Christ he walks amongst us when we gather together for church now I want to keep your finger there and please turn to the book of first Peter turn to first Peter chapter number three first Peter chapter number three first Peter chapter number three verse number 21 firstly I just want to look at this idea of the seven stars being in the right hand of Jesus Christ in first Peter chapter 3 verse 21 first Peter chapter 3 verse number 21 the Bible reads the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the field for the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ so that's just this one passage here says that salvation is not by the put away of the field for the flesh okay salvation is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ we've just recently celebrated you know Easter you know the resurrection of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ which gives full salvation but verse number 22 says about Christ who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God all right so Jesus Christ is on the right hand of the Father and then being held by Christ right hand are his pastors and then it keeps going look angels and authorities and powers being made subjects unto him now of course when it says angels here speaking about Christ going to heaven we're talking about the heavenly hosts because it's not just it's the authorities and powers okay but if we just take this application and apply it to what we read in Revelation the pastor the preacher being referred to as the angel I want to show you here did the angels and authorities and powers are made subject unto him subject unto Christ all right so a pastor is under the authority of Jesus Christ a pastor is not under the authority of the church congregation all right this is a Baptist this is an independent fundamental Baptist Church it's a pastor-led Church all right now don't get me wrong I'd like to see other men get up and preach and put their foot forward and serve the local body praise God for that but listen this will always be a pastor led Church okay but and some people get oh man pasta you know he must have some power trip to go into his head no the Bible says that angels are under the subjection of Jesus Christ so who's above the pastor Jesus Christ who's above this church Jesus Christ and so Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father Christ's pastors are being held in his right hand and as I said to you this should be an encouragement to pastors knowing that they in that protective hand of Jesus Christ please go to chapter 5 now first Peter chapter 5 first Peter chapter 5 please in verse number 1 first Peter chapter 5 verse number 1 the Bible says the elders and don't forget that term elder pastor bishop these are all terms that are interchangeable for the same office the elders which are among you I exhort whom who am also an elder so the Apostle Peter says look I'm not just an apostle I'm also an elder I'm also a pastor of a church okay and it says and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed now verse number two gives us the primary role of a pastor of the church it says in verse number two feed the flock of God which is among you you know that is the primary role of a pastor to feed you God's Word I thought my pride before I thought the primary role of the pastor was that he come to my house and sort out my problems no that's not the primary role of a pastor I thought the pastor's role was to tell my wife to be under my subjection no that's not the primary role of a pastor I thought my pastor's role was to tell my husband that he needs to love me that's not the primary role now brethren look the primary role is to come to church where the flock of God are and to preach God's Word that is a primary role okay but then it says it's taking the oversight thereof now that word oversight the overseer that's the word Bishop okay taking the oversight thereof all right so now here's the other thing so some people say well you've got to come to my place pastor Kevin and sort out my problems no no that's not the oversight that we're talking about when he says taking the oversight thereof it's hearkening back to the previous statement to feed the flock of God which among you so this is the oversight that I obviously I look at my church obviously I know there are weaknesses I know there are sins that my church congregations struggle with I know there are areas of of the of the church congregations life that they're strung with and so if I'm gonna take oversight over that I'm gonna start preaching about those things all right but I'm not here to just call out one person or one family or one thing you know when it comes to God what God's Word it applies to all of us this is what it means to take an oversight thereof it's not for me to come into your house and command your wife what to cook right coming to command you who to marry command you what kind of job to take command you when you can take holidays why do you say that because there are churches like that there are churches like that did you check the pastor what I can't go in holidays the pastor did you check the pastor if he's okay you man that person what in the world I mean she's a believer she's saved I mean you know she's not being married or you know divorce it why why do I have to check that but you know some there are a lot of churches that are like this we're pastors sometimes they've got this power trip you know they think there's some great man who's you know this you know I've got this authority over the lives of people that's not what it's talking about the primary job is to just preach to feed people God's Word and that's up to you to decide what you can do with God's Word all right I mean my job is to be a watchman to sound the trumpet it's up to you whether you're gonna heed the trumpet call you know you know heed the call you know be concerned about what you're hearing that's that's between you and the Lord you know but let's keep going there it says taking the oversight there are verse number two not by constraints but willingly not for filthy Luca but of a ready mind and then look at verse number three neither has been Lords over God's heritage but being and samples to the flock see just in case you get that idea I've got the oversight I'm gonna be in charge of your whole life come and check with me before you do any make make any decisions no not as being Lords over God's here I'm not your Lord you know I've got no authority over you in that sense I've got authority in the church okay I'm that star that has been held by the right hand of Jesus Christ but I really can't tell you what to do once you're out of the church building okay I've got the authority of how things ought to be run you know if you want to do something with church related yeah run that by me people do that all the time that's right that's proper and right but you don't have to run every aspect of your life to me in any sense of the word otherwise you know I am you know lifting myself up to be some type of Lord over your life but that's not me neither has been Lords over God's heritage but being and samples to the flock now notice who is the real Lord verse number four and when the Chief Shepherd shall appear now that word Shepherd also you know we use that word pastor in Spanish the word Shepherd is pastor where you get the word pastor from okay so am I a pastor am I a shepherd yes but I'm not the Chief Shepherd all right Chief Shepherd is Jesus Christ and when the Chief Shepherd shall appear now this is for pastors you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away and I've not been embarrassed to say or hide the fact that I want to receive that crown of glory it's a specific crown that is being given to the elders of the church okay that's if you do the right thing if you feed people God's Word if you take the oversight thereof if you're not you know if you're not the Lords of a God's heritage and if you serve a good and sample to others then you're in the running to get this crown of glory which fadeth not away that fadeth I want that crown Brevin I want that crown I would love to get that crown when Jesus Christ comes back but I want to show you here that pastors are accountable to God accountable to Jesus Christ he is the Chief Shepherd he is the Lord he is the one that holds his pastors in his right hand can you also turn to our Matthew chapter 18 turn to Matthew chapter 18 Matthew chapter 18 verse number 20 Matthew 18 verse number 20 so we've seen the star representing the pastor we've seen the church the candlestick and we saw that Christ walks in the midst of that candlestick which is the church and that hearkens back to Matthew 18 verse 20 where Jesus Christ says for where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them so that's what John speaking about the book of Revelation yeah that Christ is walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks okay but notice again when we take these parallels from Matthew 18 to Revelation chapter 2 we know when Christ is walking in the midst he's talking about the local church all right please don't fall into this trap of the house church movement okay where they say well you know we don't like church because there's too much corruption and yeah I guess there's a lot of corruption churches you know we don't like church because the past is calling the shots well that's the instructions of the Bible you know yeah if you don't like that you just don't like God's Word what can I say you know I mean you know and so people like they kind of reject church they say well we just get together in our house you know just my mates just our family we'll get together we have our own fellowship and Christ says he'll be in the midst of us no no Christ says he's gonna be in the midst of the church if you look at Matthew 18 verse 20 just to clarify this just backtrack to verse number 17 Matthew 18 verse number 17 it says and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the church but if you'd neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as they hear the man and a publican so I like showing people that because as I said a lot of people that don't go to church a lot of people that want to have their house church and reject all kind of church they take verse number 20 and say well if I just to two and three of my mates together you know Christ is there no the context if you keep following it it's about church it's about church all right okay you cannot remove out its context and then Revelation chapter 2 confirms when Christ is walking the midst of us he's speaking about the seven golden candle six which is the church and so what I'm trying to say to you brevin is that church is important please make it a priority I know you can't always be there every service and nor do I expect you to okay that please be there as much as you can it's Christ golden candlestick you make up that church Christ is walked in the midst of us why would you want to miss out on the opportunity to be in the midst and the presence of Jesus Christ okay and please pray for your pastor okay because you know one of the easiest ways for Satan to destroy a church is to just wipe out the pastor to disgrace the pastor to try to tempt the past of all kinds of manner of sins which may end up disgracing the church you know pastoring is important if you've got a heart a desire one day to be a pastor it's an important office I'm not saying that because I'm just a part you know in one way I kind of just wish it were other men willing to be pastors now just get behind them and support them okay the reason I became a pastor is I realize there's a great need you know that God's people are in different places there aren't enough good churches that are shining the light as a candlestick and that's why I decided to step up to be a pastor but I'm actually rather would have liked it if someone else would have stepped up and I just get behind them yeah keep keep pushing forward pastor I would have much prefer that but praise God that I've been given this office and I go into this office you know I want to do it well and I want to please the Lord you know that that crown that Christ will give me I'd love to receive that knowing full will if I get that that I've done a good job that I've pleased my Lord Jesus Christ all right let's go back to Revelation chapter 2 and verse number 2 Revelation chapter 2 and verse number 2 Christ says these words to the church I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou has tried them which say they're apostles and are not and has found them liars now before we get into that second part of verse number two I want you to know that Christ looks at our works he looks at our labor he looks at our patience Christ says to this church I know thy works thy labor thy patience you know sometimes you might be serving in this local body you might be you know doing some some some tasks some roles and responsibilities and sometimes it may feel like no one recognizes that and maybe no one does sometimes he might get frustrated hey my pastor has not thanked me for these jobs and you know maybe sometimes your pastor's overlooked it by accident okay but I want to remember that Jesus Christ says he's seen our works our labor our patience so brethren when you come to church just serve Jesus just put him first and if nobody else recognizes the work that you're doing just remind yourself of Jesus saw it I'm doing it for him anyway you know and if I've done a job that pleases the Lord he'll bless me he'll take care of me but those words works labor patience I want you to keep your finger there and turn to 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 please turn to 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 I want to expound on that a little bit the fact that it says works labor and patience now I know sometimes when we speak we use the words work and labor interchangeably I mean probably right now you think work and labor well what's the difference it's it is a little different okay but you turn to 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 please turn to 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 I know we're not looking at the Thessalonians church but we can expand a little bit of what Christ is speaking about here but when we talk about works that's talking about a job or a task that we're doing okay a job or a task the word labor has to do with our toil or our efforts all right so we both might have the same work let's say we both work as mechanics car mechanics but one of us might labor harder than the other you know one of us might just waste time come late to work leave early do the minimum requirements do a lousy job that means you know okay you got the same work as your fellow man you're doing the same work but your labor is much less you know the other person might be diligent in his labor work in those hours he's putting that tool he's putting that effort in okay so yes it's good to do the work but it's also good to labor you know when we come and we preach God's Word there are several men now that get behind this pulpit by the way brother Amazon first time preaching on Sunday praise God what a blessing another man for the first time ever I mean that was that was a great job okay but so we've all got the same work anybody that gets behind this pulpit to preach God's Word we have the same work praise God for the work you've been given but here's the thing it's not just the work it's the labor how much do you labor to prepare and to preach God's Word you know I can if I really had to I could preach a sermon I could give myself ten minutes preparation and preach a sermon I could do that but do you think that sermons gonna be quite deep when I get behind the pulpit preacher probably not okay but you know what most often or not I'm spending hours upon hours upon hours when I prepare a sermon all right not just when I document it but also the the thought behind it during the week just thinking about different elements of what I want to preach about you know if you combine they're all he goes for hours and hours in labor because it's not just the work I mean praise God for the work but then God sees the labor I mean I might be able to preach a ten-minute sermon and just satisfy you and kind of fool you that I've done the best I can but Jesus Christ is the one that watches is he knows whether I truly love you you know putting that labor in there but look look at first um Thessalonians chapter one verse number three so this is something that is said about the Thessalonian church it's just it's basically the same thing look at this remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ look at this in the sights of God and our Father so who is that sees our labor the Lord God who sees our work who sees our patience it's the Lord God so you can see the Ephesian Church it's been reminded yes I see your work your labor your patience we learn a little bit more in the Thessalonian Church here what this is about it's a work of faith Brethren we come here in faith we serve the Lord in faith you know I've not seen Jesus Christ crucified have you I'm not seeing you say I saw in a movie that's not Christ okay I'm not seeing him resurrect I've not seen the empty term but then you say have you seen it yes I have I've seen it in faith you know I believe in that crucifixion and that resurrection as much as if my these physicals I saw it because I believe it in faith see brethren when we come and we do a work in the house of God we must do it in faith okay serving or knowing that he's looking down upon us doing it faithfully not just the work it says and labor of love and labor of love like I said to you I can preach I can prepare 10 minutes and preach a sermon to you maybe you won't even realize it took me 10 minutes okay but Brethren if I take 10 minutes to put a sermon together or I take several hours to put together to work to preach you you know which one shows the greater love to the Lord God and the greater love to the Brethren obviously putting the work in it says and labor of love you know what if I'm just taking five minutes ten minutes to prepare a sermon do I love the Brethren I'm not showing any love to the Brethren am I showing love to the Lord God I'm not showing love to the Lord God it's a labor of love Brethren if you're going to serve this church and you're going to put the effort in do it out of love do it out of love toward our Lord God do it toward do it out of love toward your brothers and sisters in the Lord and it says and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ yes we're hopeful of the coming of Jesus Christ I already told you earlier that I'm looking forward to the to the rewards the crowns I hope I get it you know I hope you get maximum rewards that Christ has for us and so our patience as we keep persevering serving the Lord it gets tiring from time to time you know being in church doing righteous works you know but we require that patience and what's going to help you in that patience in that faithfulness is remind yourself of the hope of Jesus Christ that is coming back one day you know he's going to look upon us and say they're good and faithful servants and he's going to reward us and then we're going to get to rule and reign with him for you know for a thousand years and then for all eternity all right can you please go back to Revelation chapter 2 verse number 2 so it says I know thy works and thy labor thy patience what else I do I what's beautiful about this church as well it says and how thou canst not bear them which are evil brethren if we have people that want to be part of this church and they show themselves to be evil please don't bear with that please don't think oh that's okay you know no let's not bear we can't bear with people that are evil okay and then it says and thou has tried them which say their apostles you know so I mean we've never had this situation where someone tries to come in claim themselves to be you know some pastor or some deacon or something right and and they're not you know we test and we try them and they're not it says there and has found them liars you know this is why we can't just have any random person get behind this pulpit and teach you know I want to see a pattern of love of servitude you know of honor and praise toward your Lord God and Savior and then you get the opportunity to step up and do other things for the house of God you know where to try people test them out to see if they're capable of doing the work and you know when it says here which say their apostles and the nots we have to be careful about pastors you know we've got to be care because there are so many pastors they give themselves that title and you ask them so who would I do I don't know you know I don't really believe in that ordination process the way you know you know the Baptist Church to teach it I mean what church sent you out some church some guy you know well are you are you qualified are you are you ordained do you meet the qualifications are you able to fulfill this role you know if you've got a past and listen if you want know more about my past I'm an open book about that I can tell you who ordained me what church sent me out I can tell you about my former churches I'll give you the numbers and names of all my previous pastors I'll give you the names and numbers of all my previous employers if you don't know anything about me I wouldn't get offended if someone says to me pastor Kevin can I have a list of all your previous employers here you go ring ring them up these are my bosses ask them what kind of worker I was I asked this pastor what kind of church member I've got nothing to hide you know when they're people they're trying to hide these things you know you gotta test them you know they say they're apostles and are not these people are gonna creep into churches okay so be careful about the pastor you sit yourself under don't forget you wanna make sure that you're it's a pastor who's a like that star being held in the hand of the right hand of Jesus Christ let's keep going there Revelation chapter 2 verse number 3 it says and has born and has patience about the church for and for my name's sake has labored and has not fainted praise God it's a busy church all right they're doing things for the name of Christ they've not fainted they continue serving the Lord year after year after year after year this is why I like church anniversaries because it's a reminder not just how old we are but we're still serving the Lord praise God for that we're coming to what are we coming to now come July is it four years yeah four years come July we're gonna celebrate four year anniversary that means we've not fainted we're still serving the Lord okay that's wonderful these are things that Christ looks down upon and praises the church for let's keep going verse number four now here's the thing that I want to be careful of okay there's a lot of good things going for the church you know but it says nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou has left thy first love interesting and here's the thing I want you to understand there is no perfect church without any problems I mean if the Lord Jesus Christ came through the doors right now and we just Jesus can you tell us what's wrong with our church I'm sure there's things that he's gonna list I don't want to hear it I'm sure there are things that he can list that we could be doing better as a church well I'm sure there are things we can he can list that we're doing well at but then there'll be things nevertheless I have someone against thee and this is why it's so important that we go for these seven churches because we see you know where these churches are lacking and maybe we're lacking in some of those areas and if we're lacking in some of those areas then we know that Christ would say those same words to us and then what does does so if there's something lacking those Christ's blow out the candle immediately now we're gonna see that he gives a church time to repent to get things right and what was it that they had against the Lord what did Christ have against this church because there has left thy first love that's really interesting okay now I'm gonna quickly read to you from Matthew 22 verse 36 the question gets asked to Jesus master which is the great commandment in the law verse number 37 Jesus said unto him thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind this is the first and great commandments we're to love the Lord God brethren we've all our heart we've all our soul we've all our mind the Bible says we've all our strength for all our mights do you really love the Lord God that much with all your heart leave all your mind forever I know this mind sometimes has stupid thoughts that do not please the Lord I know at that point in time I'm not loving the Lord the way I need to with all my mind the Bible says and so even though this church the efforts of church it's so busy serving the Lord they forgot to love the Lord what it just seems what really yes churches can get so busy full of activities full of programs you know it's just this this clockwork thing alright you just go through the motions you come to church you see when you just you know it's your heart's not in that your soul's not in that your mind's not in your strengths not in that you haven't loved the Lord God the way you ought to and that that's what happened to the Ephesian church they got just a little too busy and they forgot about the Lord the love just wasn't burning as brightly as it should be and so you know there's one specific reason I you know I even though while we're a smaller church I don't want to do like excessive activities like once in a time once in a while we'll celebrate we'll do things that's great you know it's wonderful for fellowship and all that but I don't want to get so busy because I realize sometimes I look at these things in the Bible you can get so busy you just forget to love the Lord the way you should okay now let's keep going to verse number five revelation 2 5 so what's the results of having left the first love the result is this remember therefore from whence thou art fallen so it's not saying look it Christ is not saying to the Ephesian church you've never loved me okay you've never you you've you've never loved your first love that's what he's saying you have he says from whence thou art fallen you did before but now you've fallen from that great love remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent so get this right yeah listen if we identify a problem in our church if we identify a problem in our own lives God says repent change it get it right yeah he gives us time look and do the first works so notice when your heart gets far from the Lord you're going to drop the first works you've left the first love and by default if you keep going down that path the church leaves the first works there what the first works it says look or else so there's something right I mean Christ has given them time or else if you don't fix this or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent see Christ can come and take away that candlestick he can come and take away the lights of the church he can come and take away that warmth that comes from the preaching of God's Word if we do away with the first works if we don't fix the things that God says what are the first works to me it can't be that complicated really you know and it's the mission of this church I'll quickly read to you if you want go to Matthew 28 go to Matthew 28 and don't forget what Jesus Christ says you know the fact that this church has left the first love don't forget what Christ says in John 14 15 Christ says if you love me keep my commandments keep my commandments if you love Jesus Christ you know and the greatest command in fact we'll have a look at this Matthew 28 verse 19 as you guys know the Great Commission go ye therefore and teach all nations but we get the honor of teaching Australia baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things all things whatsoever I have commanded you what did Christ say if you love me keep my commandments what does Christ say here teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I'm with you all way even until the end of the world amen this is the works the first works that God has left his church to preach the gospel to baptize new converts to teach all the words of God everything that God has commanded us but when we start to drop the ball with the soul winning you know if we drop the ball with the baptism we drop the ball with preaching God's Word you know this shows me if we do this as a church it shows me that we've left the first love okay you cannot you know if you're if the first works are dropping it's cause you've dropped from your love of Jesus Christ okay so you cannot separate these two things you know these things come together Christ says all right you've dropped off remember therefore from whence out fallen and do the first works they've stopped in the first works because they've stopped loving Christ the way they ought to you know these things come hand in hand and so you know what if we're a church that does no soul winning then we can expect you know Christ gives us a time of repentance but we can expect that he's going to come and take away that candlestick do you want that for blessing about this church no way I don't want that I mean make this effort to fly from Queensland every week I don't want the candlestick removed all right if it's a place where God's light is not shining you know then I'm thinking man what about the last four years right no I want to celebrate our four year anniversary you know I want to celebrate it I want to I want to hear of more salvation praise God you know let me give you just a quick story I really told some of you guys a story but you know last week I went to Victoria on Monday to conduct the funeral service and look the week before that on the Friday have you probably saw on the on the news you know the airport was just jam-packed the reason for it is a star school holidays and then plenty of workers in the airport had covered so they were on their isolation it was just packed it took took me you know what I normally guess the airport like 20 minutes half an hour before my my flight departs but just for some reason we decided to just leave early my dad drove into we don't know why we just thank God we left early because it took me an hour to get through security okay and then I just made my flight even after they delayed it a little bit for people I mean it was hectic and then I heard stories that people you know waiting in the airport for two hours or three hours as they're trying to get through missing their flights things like that anyway during all that kerfuffle I end up losing my wallet okay my wallet's got my driver's license it's got my credit cards you know my debit cards I should say I've got all that so it's you know the hassle losing everything and you can start you know try to get all over again anyway this was Friday and I had to get to Melbourne on Monday so we've got the weekend and you know when I get to Melbourne to do the funeral service that was about three three and a half hour drive roughly from Melbourne so my original goal already had booked a rental car so I could pick that up and then drive to country Victoria where the funeral service was going to be held anyway I realized okay I don't have my license because I looked through you must present your license if they need to see you know a photo ID of you to in order for you to get your car say man I need to get my license how am I going to get that in time thankfully America got my passport my passport's got my face on it thanks you know thankfully I had that anyway on the Friday when I got to back to Queensland from serving here from the church here I got a call from the car rental company they said look you know you've booked a pickup at 6 p.m. you know but our office closes at 5 30 p.m. I don't know why the system allowed you to pick up at 6 30 we'd be closed by then and here's the thing my flight arrived into Melbourne at 5 30 there's no way that I would have to get off that flight and pick up the car in time so I kind of thought about this I said I'll call you back and once you call him back and I was out of credit I said why am I out of credit oh yeah because my debit cards got lost and I canceled my debit cards and then it's tried to recharge and it couldn't so I couldn't get back to the car company and then I had to wait till Monday anyway I said okay Monday needs get my license so I went to the closest Queensland Department of Transport okay I get there really early 830 as soon as the doors open I'm there I'm greeted by security guard he goes look our office is completely closed the computer systems are down you've got to go to the other you know Department of Transport I got a flight going to Victoria oh sorry something else that I forgot to mention because I knew I was gonna be late to the UM to Melbourne so I changed my flight I've got an earlier flight so instead of landing at 5 30 p.m. I was gonna land at 3 30 p.m. okay and so I thought okay two hours two hours before the office closes I'll have plenty of time to get that vehicle anyway on Monday I'm rushing to the other Queensland Department of Transport and it's packed it's completely packed through the school holidays like you know Easter and because the other one shut down everyone's rushing to this one and I'm like man I'm gonna miss the flight I'm gonna miss the flight anyway finally I get a temporary license and I've got my passport I'm like all right I'll be fine and I'm gonna land at 3 30 and then I'm like I was getting worried I'm not gonna make the airport on time I made it on time to the airport and my flights delayed 20 minutes like okay 20 minutes not too bad I was meant to arrive two hours early 20 but then if I know it's never 20 minutes when the airport says 20 minutes it's double it's 40 minutes if you've flown you know what I'm talking about okay it's 40 minutes anyway it was 40 minutes by the way anyway so okay 40 minutes I still have enough time to get to Melbourne and get my in my car all right anyway as we take off they come to an announcement saying look we've got to make it because it was meant to be a straight flight from Sunshine Coast emotional all the way to Melbourne we get announcement oh we're gonna have to make a brief stopover in Brisbane Brisbane what for the Sunshine Coast Airport has right out of jet fuel so we've got to go to Brisbane and fuel up so we can make the trip back to Melbourne and then the pilot goes it's just gonna be 20 minutes it wasn't 20 minutes Reverend it's like an hour it was all like you know just you know getting the flight pattern to land and then parking and then getting fueled and then waiting for you know take off and you know what time did I arrive in Melbourne 5 40 p.m. after the office already closed all right I'm like okay I've missed out the office but thankfully there were other rental car companies open you know probably five or six other ones you know Avis and budget and whatever so it's each one of them all right you know do you have a car no it's Easter it's school holidays no chance have you got a car no have you got a car no no no no no all the way what do I do I went to all of them none of them have cars and my wife's worried she's like what are you gonna do that's all I'm gonna say tonight in Melbourne and I'm starting to think now maybe God did not want me to Victoria like I was thinking why like why so many hassles here it you know God do you want me even doing this funeral I don't even know anymore right and then I just messaged my wife I said look I actually think God did not want me to drive today I just I think God you know maybe I would have driven I'm tired maybe and maybe we had accident maybe I'd get lost I don't know maybe God's just stopping me from driving and I just I felt rest I felt comfort in that okay don't forget you know I don't separate from what was written here these stars these passes are in the right hand of Jesus Christ okay these things don't happen by accident and we start seeing all these things play out and I'm getting from I'm in the flesh brethren I'm getting frustrated you know I decided to call brother some of you guys not brother Dennis I'm Melbourne but maybe brother Dennis could do me a great favor so I ring him up I can't get through to him I think at an early night so I'm like man how am I gonna get to country Victoria anyway I decided to catch an uber I was a bit expensive caught the uber anyway it was a Hindu man and it was a three and a half hour I would drive and I'm from I'm really frustrated here like I'm catching an uber and and and then the guy said so what do you do you know I saw I'm a church pastor pastor in Sydney Suncoast we're talking about things he's like oh have you taken the third jab got a nice bit too much you know third jab and then he goes so you know and he asked me the question so what's the difference between say Christianity and the other religions I'm like anyway I give him the gospel the guy calls upon them the Lord he gets saved you know it's a Hindu man in us well this is why this is why I lost my license this is why even when I change my flight I'm still late this is why no other car companies have a vehicle for me to drive is cause this guy must be seeking the Lord and Lord knew I was gonna be in Melbourne he made sure that we crossed paths okay why am I saying that because that's where you know without removing it here you know remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works brethren we have some scheduled times for soul winning hey if you can be part of it be part of it if you say look I can do soul winning some other time do it some other time but even when you're frustrated and things aren't going well for you and you meet somebody you have time with that person that's your opportunity to give them the gospel doesn't have to be a scheduled time all the time you know it can just be as you go about life you find that opportunity one-on-one with someone tell them about Jesus you know it might be that God just has put you with that person for that one opportunity for them to hear the good news of the gospel let's keep going there please verse number six verse number six revelation of the two verse number six and I like what I like about Jesus by the way I've learned this in business as a manager as well Jesus has given them some things that they need to work on but notice that Jesus Christ starts with positives then he throws in some negative there and now he's gonna throw in a positive okay they call this a sandwich approach if you want to tell someone some bad news tell them something good then in the sandwich give them the bad news and then give them something good as well if I've done that to you then you know what I'm doing all right Jesus doesn't cuz you know if you just like the bad news look you man you first let's your first love repent I'm gonna take your candlestick away I can imagine the church getting pretty cast down man we failed so bad but Christ first encourages them look you're doing well there are areas that you're doing well but here's where you're not doing well repent get that fixed and it says but verse number six but this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate does Jesus Christ hate yep this is not the Old Testament this is the New Testament I don't know how much newer you can get your Bible in the book of Revelation right Jesus Christ hates the deeds the works of the Nicolaitans say what is that we'll drop down a little bit to verse number 15 this is about the pogomos church I also had an issue with the Nicolaitans but it says in Revelation chapter 2 verse 15 so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate I mean Christ is a twice in the same chapter okay this Jesus Christ hates absolutely okay he hates the works the deeds of doctrines of Nicolaitans now if you say what are the Nick who are the Nick I get this question a lot who are the Nicolaitans the barber doesn't tell us oh but I think it's what maybe if maybe you don't know but I think it's like well it's just an opinion but I went online us you know what you go online you look up the deeds and doctrine Nicolaitans you're gonna find several people don't know what it is okay now you say surely though it's there in the Bible so where can we can be aware of it but listen don't lose sight of the big picture when you when you're reading the Bible don't miss I don't get carried away the Nicolait you know I've heard for example I've heard one preacher say because the word Nicolaitans obviously comes from the name Nicholas okay I'm not just saying this because I've got a son Nicholas I'm defending his name it could be that this sex this groups that was started by Nicholas who knows maybe that's why they call Nicolaitans I don't know but I've heard it said well the name Nicholas the meaning of the name Nicholas it means to conquer the people I've heard this preached and so pastors that are trying to conquer their people that means they are basically teaching doctrines of the Nicolaitans but that's not even what named Nicholas means it doesn't mean conquer the people the name Nicholas means victory of the people that's what Nicholas means the victory of the people not people being conquered okay it's the people being conquerors is what the word name Nicholas means but anyway I mean people just go on crazy you know rabbit hunts rabbit rabbit trails I should say to find out what this is look here's the thing here's the thing that we we learn all right you know we don't want to strain it and that right and and we need to just focus on a larger teaching the fact is God says Jesus Christ says that he hates the deeds and the doctrines of the Nicolaitans which I also hate he says look this is what you've got you hate the deeds and the doctrine of Nicolaitans Jesus says I hate it also you say what doctrines every false doctrine any false doctrine rather than I hate the deeds and the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church yeah I hate the deeds and the doctrines of Islam oh be careful pastor I hate the deeds and the doctrines of the Jews these are the doctrines of the Buddhists and the Hindus and the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons and even other Baptist churches that are preaching I repent of your sins false gospel I hate those doctrines the Bible says I hate every false way so don't get caught up one of the doctors in the club look the fact is that Jesus Christ hates false deeds false doctrines okay so it's so important that a church hates it as well you know someone tries to come to this church trying to preach something false some damnable heresies but we also hate it as a church not just bear with us run so it's you know are you sure it's brother so-and-so if they're bringing down the heresies like that they may very well be a false prophet okay so yeah don't get caught up too much just focus on the bigger picture we don't make sure that we're a church that loves truth a church that loves the doctrines of Jesus Christ okay and when you love the truth you know what's gonna happen automatically you're gonna hate the lies okay we can hate yes we can hate but hate the things that Jesus hates okay let's keep going verse number seven it says hear that half an ear let him hear hey Reverend have you got an ear okay I've got two here they have an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches so is this just for the Ephesian Church the Church of Ephesus no you know these words that have been taught and spoken to the church are for all the churches okay for all the churches and then says these words to him that overcometh will I give it will I give to eat of the tree of life which is the midst of the paradise of God so this is beautiful right to him that overcometh so how do I overcome how do I overcome a lot of you guys know already this passage now when we read the book of Revelation again there's a lot of false teaching maybe the doctrines of the Nicolaitans I don't know they're basically able to overcome you've got a you know clean up your life to overcome you've got to you know do this to do this practice do that practice do that all right you got to make the Jesus Christ the Lord of your life and you just got to give yourself only to Jesus Christ and do things right and just that's not what he means to overcome it's not what he means okay brethren someone has overcome for us okay someone someone has already won the victory okay as long as you're in that person you have also overcome you also have victory okay the Bible says in 1st John 5 4 now I'm going to pay attention to these words 1st John 5 4 for whatsoever is born of God Reverend have you been born of God okay this flesh has not been born of God this flesh was born out of Adam my parents but the new man that was born of God hey when Jesus Christ said about being born again he says you know that which is flesh is flesh that which is spirit is spirit being born of the Spirit is to be born of God right let's keep going there for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world brethren this flesh does not overcome this world this flesh sins every single day it's the new man that has overcome the world okay it's the new man that is born of God it says and then and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith have you placed your faith on Jesus Christ then you've overcome the world you've placed your faith on Christ alone then you've been born of God you've overcome the world okay and then it says in verse number five who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God who is Jesus the son of God Reverend he's not the father he's not the Holy Spirit Jesus is the son of God we believe in the Trinity you know I love the father don't get me wrong I love the Holy Spirit right I mean the father sacrificed his son if the father is not allowed that I would still die my sins I have the Holy Spirit indwelling me in doing each one of us I love the Holy Spirit but Jesus Christ is the son of God one God in three persons that's the Trinity that's a doctor on the Trinity okay so if you believe in that you believe that Jesus is son of God you have overcome the world you've been born of God they've been saved there's a major problem when people start teaching that Jesus is God the Father tells me they haven't overcome the world I mean how else do you make sense of those words there you know it's hard to accept but that's what the Bible teaches all right so this is you know we've gotten to the end there of um Revelation chapter 2 for the book of Ephesus but I do want you to turn to one more passage please turn to Revelation 22 please turn to Revelation 22 because if you're saved like I said you've overcome the world so what's the promise to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God so let's have a look at that in Revelation 22 verse 1 Revelation 2 sorry 22 verse number 1 Revelation 22 verse number 1 and this is about this is about the new heavens and the new earth when God creates all things new it says in verse number 1 and he showed me a pure river of water of life clearest crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the lamb the lamb here and the God God here is the father the lamb of course being the son Jesus Christ verse number two in the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river was there the tree of life so this is new heaven you have you know when we're there in the midst of we're there amongst God you know at his throne we see this this river flowing out of it and on either side of the river the tree of life and we learn a little bit more about this tree of life which bear 12 manna of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations so this tree of life produces 12 different types of fruits I don't know what your favorite fruits are okay but maybe maybe each month I think is best way I understand it each month it produces a different fruit potentially because it says 12 manners so you've got 12 months each month it's producing a different type of fruit all right now we get the promise that we're gonna be at eight of this tree of life okay let's keep going there were some three and these are my favorite words there and there shall be no more curse no more sin brethren not nothing defiling the earth nothing defile on the man there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and I love this one for as well and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads whose face are we going to see you know if this was about the face of Christ I guess you could throw it in there but here's the thing people have already seen the face of Christ you know I mean when Christ came the first time he was amongst his disciples you know even that time he transfigured and turned on the glory there are people that have seen the face of Christ we also know that this follows the events of the rapture this follows the events of Christ ruling and reign on this earth so people have already seen the face of Christ you know so what I strongly believe I believe it's true is that the face that we see is the face of the Father we finally see the Father's face and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them lights and they shall reign forever and ever is that interesting it says that we shall serve him we're God's servants but in our servitude we reign with him forever and ever you know when we serve Christ in eternity we serve the Lord for all eternity it's not some just low-level job okay it's going to be a job where we reign in this new creation this new heaven this new earth the throne of God the tree of life and we get to participate of this anyway brethren as I said to you this is a series that's part one series of the seven churches the Church of Ephesus you know let's be mindful about these things hey and if you're in a position of authority I strongly encourage apply the principle that we see of Jesus Christ you need to give some bad news to one of your employees to give some bad news to someone who's under your authority hey give them some good stuff first then throw in the bad stuff and then just end it with some good stuff as well all right let's just follow off the steps of Christ let's pray