Echoes from Ephesus

Transcript

Some time ago, Sister Hannah Goodwin was able to take a trip around and was able to go to visit Ephesus. She did an interesting presentation to the Ecclesiastes, showing us pictures of the city. I pursued it from there and got a little bit of information together, and I hope we can spend some good time with that this evening. During the course of our daily readings each year, we spend 32 days in Ephesus as part of our time each day. That's almost 10% of our reading days. We're taken in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to the ancient city, and we know more about the Ecclesia here than any other Ecclesia of the first century. When we first go to a place, we'll be struck by different features. The breathtaking beauty of natural scenery, fascinating and artistic architectural style of the buildings, the interesting history of the area perhaps intrigues us, and local culture and dialect. We're sometimes all struck by the seeming timelessness of the place, but frequent visits can dull these senses until we become more like the locals, seeking different and enlightening things. This is the way of the world. We're not immune from the same results as days turn into weeks, then months into years, and eventually a lifetime is seemingly all behind us. Brother Ray posed a searching question a couple of weeks ago. Would God choose me to build an ark? And he went on to exhort us to keep God's word and encourage and help one another. He was saddened at the state of the world, as we all are, and he was disturbed about the effect of the world on the Ecclesia. Tonight perhaps we can stir up our pure minds of remembrance and take just a few moments to visit Ephesus and the fledgling Ecclesia once more. So we have a couple of pictures here that our sister Hannah took, the harbour of Ephesus, and you can see it's not much of a harbour. They're not going to talk about that.

We also have one of the main streets of Ephesus where the shopping centres used to be,

and now a sleeping dog in the middle here.

There's a picture of the remains of the Temple of Diana, and here we have the relics of the silversmiths' workshops, and we'll remember the name Demetrius as being instrumental in the

riot that caused the death of Ephesus. So we'll go into, just take a quick look at what we hope to cover this evening. Before we do, I'm just going to switch over, hopefully my mouse will do its thing, to present a view, because now you can't see my mouse. Oh no, hang on, I've just got to undo that. Just one second, I'm too early. We're going to take a look at the background of the city, geographically, historically and cultural, the spirit's influence and spiritual growth, and then afterwards conclusion and discussion. We do have quite a bit of material to go through, so hopefully we can get through it tonight. Here's Ephesus on the southwestern corner of Asia Minor, it's now part of Turkey, and the next slide shows just a little closer view of it, with the little inset here showing here where the shoreline was in Ephesus in BC 500, and then here's where the shoreline was in this area on the Kayser River in AD 60, and you can see the channel down to the harbor, and here is the shoreline today, right out here at the edge, and so the harbor was tilting up, and that created the problems for the city, the flow of trade was changing, it was on a major trade route, and eventually was displaced Miletus as a trading port at the time. In Roman times it was proud and busy and rich, and the object of worship and attention in Ephesus became more Diana than the trade routes that they were on, but the trade routes played a very important part in the development and spread of the Gospel message through Asia, so it was built near the shrine of an old Anatolian fertility goddess. Ephesus became the seat of an oriental cult. In Greek mythology, Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. I guess she sat on a lot of committees. Great similarities to the Roman equivalent, which of course was Diana. Here we can see the temple of Diana, the artist's impression, and there we can see that the emporium was in decline. This of course is an artist's impression, it's long before the days of photography, and so it shows, you can see the temple there on the top right hand corner of the picture, and it's all silting up with just sand being washed down, and the harbour eventually silted up, and obviously was not able to be a trade route anymore, and so the silversmith craft was getting more and more important. With regard to culture of the area, I'll just back up a minute, people in Ephesus had a strong influence from Greek and Roman cultures and the lifestyles. Adolescents had to wear white coloured toga, Greek times dress was very similar. Girls education was not really considered, but boys were sent to the gymnasium to learn music and how to read and write. Later in Roman times, both girls and boys attended primary school together at the age of seven. At the gymnasiums, students used to study history, music, logic, astronomy, mathematics, the Greek language, poetry, units of measurement, philosophy and mythology. People believed in reincarnation, and the deceased were often buried or cremated in the cemetery along with their favourite belongings. The Jews living in Ephesus were granted equivalent rights to the Greeks and Romans, but were also granted exemption from military service in deference to their laws by a Roman consul. It would appear that there was friction developing when the Ephesians determined that if the Jews considered themselves equal, they should worship their God. The Jews were completely Hellenized, in many respects Greek in character, while maintaining their Jewish traditions being assimilated into the Greek cultural norms. And our brother Richard brought this up last week when we were talking about,

well the week before when we were talking about Noah's Ark, and took us to Ezekiel chapter 16 and talked about Sodom and Gomorrah, and we know how Lot in that environment vexed his righteous soul daily, but he was still affected by the society around him, and that is a very real threat to us in this day and age. So the spirit's influence and spiritual growth of the Ecclesia. After his conversion, Paul was driven by the Holy Spirit as he was in Corinth in Acts 18 and verses 9 and 10. We read, Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, For I have much people in this city. So if we look at the timeline of the Apostle Paul, we can see that his conversion was in AD 36. First missionary journey, AD 48, and he traveled about 1400 miles. Second missionary journey was AD 51, and he traveled 2800 miles on that one. And then he wrote the epistles to the Thessalonians in AD 52-53. Third missionary journey was Acts 18-21, and that's where we get a lot of our information about the start of the Ecclesia and Ephesus. The third missionary journey was done in AD 54. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem in AD 58, and he traveled to Rome in AD 60-61 time. First Roman imprisonment in AD 62, and from there he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Hebrews. I remember Brother Dave Wilson's study weekend, and he made a very good argument that Hebrews may have been written by Luke. But we're told that while Paul was imprisoned in AD 62, he wrote Titus, and Titus tells us that Luke was also with him. So it's quite possible that there was a strong influence. Second Roman imprisonment, AD 65-66, and he writes Second Timothy and is executed in AD 66. So if we put that timeline against the background of the Ephesus Ecclesia, he visits briefly in AD 51, stays for two and a quarter years in AD 54, during his third missionary journey and leaves after the riot in the theater, which was said to hold 25,000 spectators. Hang on a second. There we go. Paul meets the elders at Miletus as he's going back to Jerusalem from Rome in AD 60. He writes the letters to the Ephesians in AD 62. He writes first letter to Timothy in AD 65 and the second letter to Timothy in AD 66. He then records the letters, oh sorry, we get the record of the letters from Jesus to the Ecclesia in AD 90. And before AD 100, John writes the three epistles.

Interestingly, tradition holds that after Timothy was martyred in Ephesus, John returned from the Isle of Patmos to Ephesus and worked from there to carry on the work that Timothy was doing. And it is from there that he wrote his three letters. So we'll just consider that a little bit later. Traditionally, John died in Ephesus and apparently there is relics of the church to Saint John. So I want to take a look at the passage from Acts 20 verses 17 to 38. Alright, Acts 20 beginning in verse 17. And now behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, saving that the Holy Spirit witness in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count on my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy in the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own self shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch and remember, that by the space of three years I cease not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel, yet ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring he ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken, he nailed down and prayed with them all, and they all wept sore and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorry most for all the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship. So in verse 19, Paul is telling the ecclesial arranging boy to be humble and emotional, that he was humble and emotional during tribulation. He was instantly seized publicly and privately teaching the gospel message while he was there,

declaring to Jews and Greeks the kingdom, the need to turn to God, to repent and have faith. He was innocent of anyone's blood in verse 26, to keep watch over the flock of God as overseers, be shepherds,

savage wolves will come.

Brethren and sisters will be led astray by erroneous teaching from brethren within the ecclesia. And he was continuously warning. He was not covetous of any man's goods. He worked to support himself and his friends, demonstrating hard work in the service of Jesus. These are all details that we get from that account recorded for us in Acts 20. I want to just briefly just touch on his letter. Brothers and sisters, it's way too big of a study to do in a Bible class to include all the information that we have. But I think this comment from our brother John Carter in August 1944 sums the latter up really in my mind. Paul's letter to the Ephesians goes forward to discourse of the things which are the privileged possession of those who are partakers of the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, which of God is in Christ Jesus. The letter to the Ephesians is full of instruction and edification. It would be difficult to find a greater concentration of ideas in any writing than is found in the first chapter. And with that, we know from the letter to the Ephesians, which we've all read, it's so true and accurate. It's just got so much information for Christian living in this world as servants of Christ.

There's a point I was going to bring up there. Anyway, we've got the letter now. The first letter was written to Timothy as the recording brother of Radicalesia during Paul's first imprisonment in Rome. The second letter was written during his second imprisonment in AD 64. And in those letters, he's carrying on with that same message to oppose the teachings of false doctrine, to love with a pure heart, conscience and faith as he'd given them the example while they were there. It was warning of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. And when you remember the culture of the city with their tendencies to believe in the old Egyptian and Greek afterlife,

these were the challenges they were going to be facing. The partake of affliction and enduring hardship. These are definitely all lessons for all of us. Study as a workman. 2 Timothy 2.15, to study to show yourself approved. Fight the good fight of faith. You know, with much tears and much hard work, Paul administered the need of spreading the gospel message. But now is what I get to get into is spend a lot of time in Revelation 2 and verses 2 to 7. Of all the information we have, we have in Acts the origin of the ecclesia. We have in Ephesians the warnings and the advice to the early brothers and sisters. In the letters to Timothy, we've got the information to the arranging board and to Timothy in particular. We've got the meeting in Miletus. And we've got documented the observation of Jesus. And I think out of all that, that observation of Jesus is

very fundamental in our consideration of the ecclesia and where they are. He says, I know thy works. And this is what really started me thinking along the lines of Ephesus some time ago. And we'll get into a little more detail. You can't stop there.

Testing, scrutinizing ecclesia. You've tried the people. The patient and enduring ecclesia. You have borne and had patience and had labor. You've left your first love. They were a failing ecclesia and uncompromising ecclesia. Though in verse 6, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans. So I want to deal with one of these at a time. Just going to take a second. We'll just read Revelation 2 verses 2 to 7. And we'll do that.

We've got that right here.

Revelation 2 verses 2 to 7. I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience. How thou canst not bear them which are evil. Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not. And hast found them liars. You have borne and had patience and for my name's sake have labored and has not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent. And do the first works or else I come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of this place except thou repent. But this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate. So that slide is a summary of the key points. I just want to take some time now to take a look at those key points in the time we have remaining. I know your works said Jesus.

In Romans 2 verses 5 and 6 we read. After thy hardness and impenitent heart treasure a stuff unto thyself wrath against the day of judgment. And against a revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Who will render to every man according to his deeds. He knows our works.

Matthew 25 verses 31 to 40. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. Before him shall be gathered all nations. And shall the King say unto them on his right hand. Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was unhungered and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink and I was a stranger and you took me in naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee unhungered and gave fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink. When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee. And the King shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren he have done it unto me. I know your works said Jesus. The servant that knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself. This account in Luke 12 verse 47 is an ominous warning. But if that servant say in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming he shall begin to beat the men servants and maid servants and to eat and drink and to be drunken. The Lord of that servant will come in the day when he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware and will cut him in Sunday and will appoint in his portion with the unbeliever. We may not be beating. We may not be mistreating brothers and sisters, maid servants, men servants. We may not be eating and drinking and being drunk. But he is watching. He knows our works and will appoint us a portion in that due time. The servant that knew his Lord's will. That servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself. Neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes.

They cannot bear.

Jesus said. But we henceforth be no more children. Paul writes to them in Ephesians tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lay in wait to deceive. And in Acts 18, verses five and six, Paul was pressed in the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. These were the people that they were trying to spread the gospel message amongst these people that blasphemed and opposed themselves. I would not hear the word from brothers and sisters.

Not a lot has changed. We're in a time of life when people will not listen.

Believe not every spirit, but try the spirit said John in his first letter, which was we think about this written in Ephesus. Many false prophets are gone out into the world.

There is. Neither any creature in Hebrews four verse 13 that is not manifest in his sight. All things are naked and opened up to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Excuse me. We've been reading from Hebrews in our daily readings. These sort of passages indicate the intention of the spirit through the writings of the apostles that we understand the need sometimes to walk away as Paul shook his clothes out and walked away. There's sometimes a stubborn refusal to accept the clear instructions of the gospel message. So try the spirits test the spirits. John said, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits. The second Corinthians 11 verses 13 and 14. There are false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. No model for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. The authorities and the powers of the time were being misrepresented of what was really going on. And we know that's true today. Just a misrepresentation of the gospel message. And these are the false apostles, the people that were working within the Ecclesia, even with our brothers and sisters, the brothers and sisters. It is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. Interesting. I know your work. The Ecclesia was trying to grow and struggling, and they were dealing with issues from all around. They had this Greek background which was laced with

mythology and teaching about the afterlife, which is basically the same as the Egyptian. There's very little difference. And so they were dealing with these things. And what was happening is the gospel message was being mixed with

the false teachings that they've been brought up with because there was such a vast difference that it was quite difficult for them to accept the gospel message when they were part of the preaching effort. But they were a patient and enduring pleasure. You have bought and had patience and have labored. They were definitely working. If we look at Luke chapter eight and verse 15, the message from Jesus on good ground are they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience. Patience is an essential element in the service of the master. And in Hebrews 12, verse three, consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds. Excuse me.

So the next the next point I want to consider is they had left their first love.

Brother Roberts has a description of love. Agape is Greek 25 and 26 and is self sacrificial love. I'd like to share that with you afterwards if we've got time and if somebody reminds me, Agape appears 258 times in the New Testament, 88 in the messages to Ephesus, if we include the letters of John. It only occurs three times in the letters from Jesus to the seven Ephesians, Revelation two, verse four, and in the letter in the letter to Ephesus and in Revelation two, verse 19 in the letter to Thyatira, whose love, it would appear, remains strong. It is said, and it's been very obvious to me that the

depth of grief caused by the loss of a loved one is

equal in magnitude to the height of the love that you share. For them to be losing their first love, as Jesus says, is a terrible, terrible thing for the Lord Jesus, who endured so much for us to have to say that you're losing your first love. In Jeremiah two, the history of the nation just doesn't change. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espouses, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a land that was not sown. Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the first fruits of his increase, all that devour him shall offend, evil shall come unto them, saith the Lord. Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity of your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, Paul wrote in Hebrews, which ye have shown toward his name, and that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. The great work of God in caring for the nation that he loved, and that loved him, and yet they turned their backs so many times and walked away.

Food for thought, we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. You be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Ephesians 1 and verse 4, Paul didn't get very far into the letter. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him, in love. And 1 Thessalonians 1, same thing, early on in the message to Thessalonians, we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father, knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God, and that is as in chosen, chosen by God since the foundation of the world. Jesus used the same word in the description of Paul to Ananias. He is a chosen vessel. It's beyond our finite minds to think that God has called us and chosen us from the foundation of the world.

A failing at leisure, repent, undo the first works. What were the first works? God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, we read earlier. When Paul laid his hands upon them in Acts 19 and verse 6, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied. These were really the first works in the love of the Lord Jesus. Psalm of David said, I will take heed to my ways that I sit not with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. I was done with silence. I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me. I hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. I want to just back up and just think for a minute. We've considered that the first works were the preaching and the work of spreading the gospel message. But they were motivated by this extreme love that they felt for the Lord Jesus because of what he had done to set them free from the law of sin and death. And they've taken away the fear of death. So this motivated them to do everything through this great love that they had for the Lord Jesus. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, Psalm 5 tells us. They hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. God hath no pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight. Whole workers of iniquity. Hate is a very strong word. In John's second letter, we read, Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house. Neither bid him Godspeed, for he that bideth him Godspeed is a partaker of his evil deeds. The Ecclesiastes was doing well. They hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans that were coming in and teaching these false doctrines.

So, the Nicolaitans, the word is compromised of two words.

Nicolaitans, those were what we were talking about. In Eureka, we're told by Dr. Thomas that the word is a symbolical name, like Balaam and Jezebel, consisting of two words signifying victory and people. Nicos and Laos, I believe. It was these people that claimed they were the true successors to the apostles, and added their own interpretation on the true gospel message as presented by Paul. They acquired a following by their teachings, and led men astray from the pure gospel message of the name of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. Dr. Thomas considers them to be of the class of men that were the grievous wolves that Paul refers to, appealing to those of tender age in the truth. In Acts 20 and verse 29, I know this, after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them. And so was creeping in the teaching of the immortality of the soul. And the immortality of the soul, that doctrine, completely undermines the purpose and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in his death, in the sacrificial work. Because if you have an immortal soul, that wasn't necessary. So this is why it is so hateful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

So the Nicolaitans hated. So I just want to think briefly now about letters from the Apostle John, Jesus' cousin. The events that took John to Patmos,

tradition holds, and that's also sort of supported by

Brother Mansfield in the introduction to his book on the letters to John. The tradition holds that John was baptized in a vat of boiling oil, which he survived. And I know that raises a lot of eyebrows amongst brothers and sisters. But when we think about the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into a fire furnace and were protected, we think about Daniel and the lion's den, and he was protected. And they were sent to the Isle of Patmos. John was sent to the Isle of Patmos. I did have an introduction there on that. Yeah, OK. So when John came in, he was talking about the…

He was putting in some answers to the questions of Gnosticism.

The Gnosis teaching was the blending of these thinking about life after death. And as a result of that, in the second century, we started to get the terminology of Gnostics. Some of their teachings were absolutely incredible. They were almost like they were in a trance.

And we have, of course, the warning from Paul in Galatians, Chapter 5, about witchcraft.

And it was witchcraft that…

The Greek word for that is pharmakeia, which is pharmacy and deals with drugs. And psychedelic drugs have been known to mankind for a long time, a long time before Christ. And this is what it's believed. These people that wrote these tractates and different things about their visions that they'd had and placed themselves at the same level as apostles in their own mind, and they heaped up people following them. This was the problem that was going on in Ephesus. So the reason for John's return to Ephesus after Patmos, where he was given the revelation by Jesus, he went back to Ephesus to continue the work from Timothy after he was martyred. And from there, he wrote the three letters. Those letters were distributed and basically firstly to the Ecclesia. The message contained in John's letters, Agape is there 54 times in John's letters. And is it surprising when he knows that Jesus had said the Ecclesia was losing their first love, that John talks about these letters, talks about love in his letters. So are these letters the last recorded appeal to a dying Ecclesia? Sadly, Ephesus has become a pattern that's been repeated. In Eureka Volume 1, page 190, The whole town is nothing but a habitation for herdsmen and farmers living in low and humble cottages of dirt, sheltered from the extremities of weather by the mighty ruinous walls, the pride and ostentation of former days and the emblem in these of the frailty of the world and the transient vanity of human glory. All the inhabitants of this once famous city amount now to not above 40 or 50 families of Turks. The light has gone out and darkness is complete. Here's pictures of Ephesus. The light has gone out.

Darkness is complete. A sad testimony of the once vibrant society and an Ecclesia with a strong Ecclesial light stand. Ephesus and the Ecclesial history can be a stark warning to us in these last days of the insidious dangers we face. May our prayer be for the strength and resilience of our brethren and sisters to stand fast and work in love for Jesus. To him that overcometh. In Ephesus. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Smyrna. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Pergamos. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Thyatira. To him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with the rod of iron as the vessels of the pot that they shall be broken to shivers even as I received of my father and I will give him the morning star. Sardis. The same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of light but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels. Philadelphia. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God. He shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name. And finally Laodicea. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and I'm sat down with my father in his throne. Kings priests and temple pillars eating of the tree the wood of life wearing robes of white and a crown of life. Bearing a white stone with a new name eating of the hidden manner ruling over nations with a rod of iron and having the morning star a temple in the pillar of God in the New Jerusalem. Sitting with Jesus in his throne. Brothers and sisters just close your eyes for a minute as we just consider the prayer of Paul which he wrote in Ephesians 3. For this cause I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with the might by his spirit in the other man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Even so come Lord Jesus. This is our hope brothers and sisters that we can stay strong we can if we're losing that first love if we can remember the great love of Jesus and his sacrifice for us to set us free from sin and death.

Let us not like the like Ephesus in diminishing circles as time passes until we no longer exist.

So there's a time now for discussion and I do have that thing that Brother Roberts wrote about love if

anybody's interested. Love to hear it Phil. Brother Roberts wrote that which is commonly talked about as love is not the apostolic love. The popular love consists of an emasculated mind and honeyed words. The apostolic knitting together in love is on the goodly foundation of all the riches of the full on the shore assurance of understanding. It is a love springing from identical convictions a common love resulting from common enlightenment a mutual affection spontaneously generated by unity of knowledge and judgment. And this not in the scanty forms of opinion or the cold uncertainty of views. But in the richness of a positive and pronounced assurance of understanding enthusiastic conviction if you will without which there can be no true discipleship of Christ. This is a state of mind that stops not short at good works and fair speeches but shows its faith by works without which man whatever his knowledge and understanding or ability to speak with even higher and human tongues is a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol. There may be there be many victories fair and promising to look upon which when the master comes to inspect them and find nothing but leaves will wither up before his destroying curse.

Brother Roberts. I think that's a good definition. Thank you for your patience brothers and sisters.