EPHESUS | WEEK ONE

• Revelation 1:1 (ESV) The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to showto his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known bysending his angel to his servant John...

• This is not so much a “word” revelation as it is a “picture” revelation.

• Revelation 1:9–20 (ESV) 9I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation andthe kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the islandcalled Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10Iwas in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like atrumpet 11saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the sevenchurches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and toSardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 12Then I turned to see the voicethat was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13andin the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robeand with a golden sash around his chest. 14The hairs of his head were white likewool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15his feet were likeburnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of manywaters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharptwo-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17When Isaw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me,saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, andbehold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19Writetherefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are totake place after this. 20As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in myright hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels ofthe seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

• Revelation 2:1–7 (ESV) 1To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: “The wordsof him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the sevengolden lampstands. 2I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance,and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those whocall themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3I know youare enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have notgrown weary. 4But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love youhad at first. 5Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and dothe works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstandfrom its place, unless you repent. 6Yet this you have: you hate the works of theNicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spiritsays to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree oflife, which is in the paradise of God.”

• What’s the solution?o Remembero Repento Return

• Revelation 2:7a (ESV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to thechurches.

Discussion questions & more available in the Seven Letters to Seven Churches Study Guide.