Ephesus was controlled by the Romans in 190 BC. Ephesus was infamous for wealth and luxury from 1-4 AD (the reign of Augustus). During this period, the population of Ephesus increased to 225 000, and the city became the capital of the new Asia.
Ephesus
(means “desirable”) was a gateway to Asia Minor. The city was the center for
the worship of Diana
(or Artemis, the Mother of the gods). In 480 BC the great temple of Diana was
erected, and was four times the size of the Parthenon in Athens. The temple was
counted among the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was destroyed in 263
AD, and only the foundation stones remain.
St. Paul had sent one of his most famous letters to the Ephesian church. Christianity was accepted by the most of the population of this city. St. Paul had also sent one of his well-known letters to the church here.
On the Greek island of Patmos, the prisoner John was given vision messages from God for the seven churches in Asia Minor (that can apply to us today). Here’s what God had to say to Church at Ephesus:
This is what you
must write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: I am the one who holds the
seven stars in my right hand, and I walk among the seven gold lamp stands.
Listen to what I say.
2 I know everything you have done, including
your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone
who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and
found out that they were liars. 3 You have endured and gone through
hard times because of me, and you have not given up.4 But I do have something against you! And it is this: You don’t have as much love as you used to. 5 Think about where you have fallen from, and then turn back and do as you did at first. If you don’t turn back, I will come and take away your lamp stand. 6 But there is one thing you are doing right. You hate what the Nicolaitans are doing, and so do I.
7 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will let everyone who wins the victory eat from the life-giving tree in God’s wonderful garden. (Revelation 2:1-7, CEV)
The positives of the
Church of Ephesus included their ability to endure trials and to remain
untainted in the midst of their society. Their largest problem was for the
Church of Ephesus failing to remain close to Jesus.
“Until Jesus Christ is the obsession
of your heart, you'll always be looking to mere men to meet your needs that
only [He] can fill. Only when you make Jesus Christ
your first love will you be ready for a love story that reflects His glory.” (Leslie Ludy)
The
prescription for the Church of Ephesus’ problems included identifying their
sins, asking for forgiveness, and then once again doing the good deeds that
were an obvious part of your life. Depending on what the Church of Ephesus did,
God would either give them eternal life in Heaven, or remove the light of their
witness from the world.
“We aren’t called to be a judge. We e called to be a
witness.”
(Stacy L. Sanchez)
“A healthy church is not a
church that's perfect and without sin. It has not figured everything out.
Rather, it's a church that continually strives to take God's side in the battle
against the ungodly desires and deceits of the world, our flesh, and the devil.
It's a church that continually seeks to conform itself to God's Word.” (Mark Dever) [i]
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| The city of Ephesus |
[i] Inspired
by the sermon “Dear Church, Love Again” (installment one) Sunday, January 7, 2018 Pastor Dave
Jansen CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH
Additional
sources used:
“The Seven Churches - A Letter to Ephesus” by Professor Walter J. Veith, PhD
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