5 Smooth Stones

Chapter Twenty-One

FALSE LEADERSHIP, TRUE LOVE

T hrough the apostle John our Lord Jesus gave epistles to seven of the churches in the Roman province called Asia, which we now called Asia Minor. Each of the seven churches was given encouragement and instructions for ma tt ers that they must overcome. Associated with these instructions also came the promise of rewards for being overcomers. Five of the churches needed correction and were also given some reproof. The fi rst church addressed by the Lord was the church in the city of Ephesus. This church was originally planted by the apostle Apollos and fully established by the ministry of the apostle Paul, who also set up a training and equipping center there in the school of Tyrannus. Ephesus is often considered the most mature of the churches Paul helped to found. The Book of Ephesians is full of rich understanding of the spiritual warfare mature Christians are called to ba tt le and the perspective of ministering from a place in Christ already seated in the heavenly realm, even as the believer is currently serving on earth. As with each church mentioned, the Lord addressed some things which needed a tt ention, and also addressed the promise of rewards for those who obeyed His words and overcame the situation which the Lord covered with His warning. In part, the Lord's words to the church in Ephesus were:Revelation 2:2-4: "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your fi rst love." The church in Ephesus was commended for discerning false apostles and ministers who did not minister the truth. In this epistle to the church, the Lord clearly connected this commendation with what He had against them, that they had left their fi rst love. It is interesting that the church in Ephesus was actually exhibiting the ful fi llment of the prophecy

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