Wednesday after Advent 1 + Revelation 2:1-11 + December 5, 2018

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

At the beginning of Revelation, Christ appears in the midst of seven golden lampstands, holding seven stars in His hand. The seven stars are the messengers, or pastors, of the seven churches which are the seven lampstands. Christ commands St. John to write to these seven churches of Asia Minor, that is, modern Turkey, to warn them of their sins and strengthen their faith. Since Revelation communicates through numbers and pictures, we see these seven churches as a symbol of the entire church, the universal church spread across all lands and all history. That makes Christ’s words to these specific seven churches words to all churches. Christ speaks to the universal church to warn her of temptations which, if they are not overcome, will disqualify her from everlasting life. What we will see in these seven letters is that these specific church’s temptations are universal to the entire church, even to ours. By God’s grace let us consider today the first two letters so that we might learn what Christ commends and what He warns against.

Christ commends the church at Ephesus for their works, their labor, and their patient endurance. Chief among their works is their labor in doctrine. They cannot bear those who are evil. They have tested those claiming to be apostles and found them to be liars and false prophets. They took John’s words from 1 John 4:1 to heart, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” They hate the Nicolaitans, followers of the deacon Nicholas who had apostasized from the faith. He and his followers taught that the Gospel allowed men to remain in their sins, especially fornication. The pastor and saints at Ephesus labored against the false apostles to persevere in the true doctrine of Christ, that sins are be repented of so that they could be forgiven, and then striven against in the Christians’ life. Christ wants His Christians to work to stop their sins with the aid of the Holy Ghost, not continue in them. The Scriptures teach that if we go willfully go back to our sins and become entangled and overcome by them, we will fall away from the faith and lose our salvation.

This is a great commendation. Christ rejoices that they persevere and labor in His doctrine! 

But in spite of their pure doctrine, He says, “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 lampstand from its place – unless you repent.” Their labor in doctrine, in all the things Christ taught through His apostles, is necessary. But this pastor and people had left their first love. The zeal they originally felt in their hearts had become sluggish. Their faith toward Christ, the fervent trust and confidence in His promises, had begun to wane. Their love for others had cooled so that they were not as willing to give to the poor as they had previously been. All their labor in doctrine would do them no good if they did not believe that doctrine in true faith that produced love for neighbor, to help the poor and care for others in need. If they did not repent of this Christ would remove their lampstand, that is, if they would not treasure His Word in faith, He would take it away from them altogether.

From this Christ shows us that retaining His doctrine pure is of utmost importance, but if it is not held in true faith that produces love, it is nothing. There are many in our day who imagine that having Christ’s pure doctrine isn’t important at all. Many imagine that as long as they have what they consider to be the main points, then the rest is “filler” or “optional.” Christ condemns doctrinal indifferentism by commending the Ephesians for their zeal for the truth. Their example stands in stark contrast to those who imagine that everything claiming to be “Christian” can be believed and emulated, without testing it against God’s Word. But they are a warning to us, that we are not to let the pursuit and defense of truth be our ultimate goal. Purity of doctrine exists not for its own sake, but so that we can use it in true faith. It’s no good to have the whole truth is isn’t believed, if we don’t comfort ourselves with its promises, and if we don’t use it to overcome temptation.

Christ promises, “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” Christ praises the Ephesians. He wants them to endure until the end so He warns them lest they fall from faith and He encourages them. The pure doctrine that you have zealously fought to keep pure, use it to overcome! Use it to overcome the devil’s temptations when he wants to lead you into false beliefs. Use it to overcome lusts of the flesh when your flesh desires what God has forbidden. Rely upon the promises in Scripture as your way of escape in the midst of your temptations. Use it to overcome the allurements and seductions of the world, which try to tease you away from faith in Christ. By faith in the Word and promises of God, which you have undefiled, overcome. Not just once but daily, for Christ says, “to him who overcomes,” not “to him who overcame.” Persevere in doctrine and be zealous to use that doctrine in faith and grow in love for your neighbors, for Christ gives you the promise that the one who overcomes sin, death, and the power of the devil by faith will eat from the Tree of Life in paradise.

We must also consider the church at Smyrna. Christ offers that particular church, and the church in every age and place, a great consolation. Christ tells this small church not to be discouraged by its poverty in earthly possessions and reputation because it is rich in the spiritual blessings of God! Like the Ephesians, they possess the true treasure of the pure doctrine of Christ. But they are truly rich because they use this possession in faith and treasure it above all earthly treasures. Because they treasure it, they must endure persecution from “those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” Because they treasure the Word and hold it zealously in faith, false believers will whip up persecution so that some of them will be in prison ten days, or a short period of time. Christ has no warning for these dear saints in Smyrna, only comfort and encouragement. “Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.” Christ wants these poor saints to hold fast to their confession, no matter what painful hardships and tribulations the world and false church brings upon them. They may suffer in prison. They may die. But to the one who overcomes trials, persecutions, and hardships by faith in Christ, that one will not be hurt by the second death which is the eternal fires of Hell. Do not fear the first death, Christ tells them, for all who die in faith, trusting in Christ’s mercy and promises, will wear the crown of life.

Christ gives us these two churches as examples in our time. Let continue in Christ’s pure doctrine and defend it against those who pervert it. Let us also rekindle the fire of our first love during this Advent season, as we prepare our hearts for Christ’s return. Let us fervently trust Christ’s mercy and merits for the forgiveness of all of our sins. Let us endure persecution and hardship, in whatever form it comes upon us. By faith let us daily overcome the assaults and temptations the devil, the wicked world, and our own sinful flesh which wants to lead us into sin, so that by daily overcoming we may, when Christ returns, eat from the tree of life in paradise and receive the crown of life Christ has won for us. Amen.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.