The Letter to the Church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7)

Outline: In Revelation 2:1-7

1. Jesus' Affirmation (vv.2-3, 6)
2. Jesus' Rebuke (v.4)
3. Jesus' Correction (v.5a)
4. Jesus' Warning (v.5b)
5. Jesus' Promise (v.7)

Summary: After communicating the sobering vision of who Jesus is and what the church ought to be, John now relays a personal letter from Jesus to each of the seven churches (Rev. 2-3). These letters show that the Jesus described in John's vision is the Jesus who is present with and intimately aware of each church and their circumstances. This can be either terrifying or comforting depending on the health of a given local church.  Jesus wants every local church to be a faithful, conquering church regardless of the circumstances they face; therefore, He brings clear affirmation, rebuke, correction, warnings, and promises according to what each church needs to hear and heed.  The first letter is to the church in Ephesus, a church affirmed for their steadfast commitment to the truth but firmly rebuked for their sad and serious neglect of love.  Jesus tells them in no uncertain terms what they must do in order to conquer their sin and receive the promise.      

Main Point: The church in Ephesus must remember the way they used to love one another, repent of their neglect of that love, and renew their efforts to love as they have in the past.

Discussion Questions:

• What does it mean that Jesus "walks among the seven golden lampstands" and what impression should this truth make on all churches, including FBC? (v.1cf. 1:13; 2:23)
• What does Jesus affirm about the church in Ephesus? (vv.2-3,6)
• What about the church in Ephesus provokes Jesus to firmly rebuke them? (v.4)
• What three steps does Jesus command Ephesus to take when He corrects them (v.5)?
• What is the meaning of the term repent?
• What warning does Jesus give them if they do not mend their ways (v.5b)?
• What promise does Jesus extend to them if they do mend their ways (v.7)?  
• Why is it so important that we have strong minds committed to truth and big hearts engaged in acts of love?

Application Questions:

• How firmly am I committed to learning and applying the truth of God's word in my life?
• How engaged am I in showing acts of kindness, compassion and self-sacrifice toward my brothers and sisters in Christ?
• Do I need to repent and mend my ways in one or both of these areas?
• What would it look like for me to be a head/heart person (one marked by truth and love)?
• Does my individual commitment to truth and love effect the brightness of our lampstand at FBC? Explain. 

Prayer Points:

• Praise God for any ways we are excelling in our commitment to truth at FBC
• Praise God for any ways we are excelling in our love for one another at FBC
• Repent of any ways you have been personally neglecting truth and/or love
• Pray that God would help FBC to shine as a head and heart people
• Ask God to help you grow in your commitment to truth and your engagement in love so that you might do your part to help FBC shine brighter

John's Vision of the Son of Man (Rev. 1:9-20)

Outline: In Revelation 1:9-20

1. John's vision of the Son of Man & the churches (vv.12-16, 20)
2. John's response to the vision (vv.17-19)
3. How should churches respond to this vision? 

Summary: John is given a vision packed with symbols designed to tell us about who Jesus is and what the church ought to be.  This vision terrifies John nearly to death.  But Jesus tenderly comforts John with the gospel and then commissions him to write the things that he has seen (and will see) to the churches. This vision of the Son of Man is meant to shape the life and mission of every local church.

Main Point: John's vision of the Son of Man is designed to both frighten and fortify every local church into faithful living as they await the return of the Son of Man.

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss the descriptions of Jesus in vv.13-16. Taken together, what does John want the churches to know about who Jesus is?
• The churches are symbolized as "seven golden lampstands." What does this symbol say about what churches ought to be? (cf. Ex. 25:31-40, 37:17-24; Lev. 24:1-4; Matt. 5:14-16).  
• How does John respond to the vision? Why do you think he responded that way? 
• What effect do you think Jesus' words in vv.17b-18 had on John?     
• How should the churches in general and FBC in particular respond to this vision of the Son of Man and the seven golden lampstands? 
• Why might it be important to keep this vision (vv.12-16) in mind as we study the letters to the churches in chapters 2-3?  

Application Questions:

• How has this vision heightened my view of Jesus and who He is?
• How has this vision heightened my view of churches and what they are meant to be?
• In what ways is God calling me to live more faithfully in light who Jesus is and who we wants me to be as a member of my local church?

Prayer Points:

• Praise Jesus as the glorious Son of Man 
• Ask God to open your eyes to see more of the glory of Jesus
• Ask God to help you develop a higher view of the local church
• Pray that God would help FBC to shine brightly for the glory of the Son of Man and for the good of those who desperately need to see Him for who He really is
• Pray that God would awaken you to be more faithfully devoted to Him so that you might do your part to help your local church shine brighter

John's Greeting to the Seven Churches (Rev. 1:4-8)

Outline: In Revelation 1:4-8

1. John's greeting to the churches
2. John's desire for the churches  

Summary: The Book of Revelation is a gift from God (v.1) addressed to the "seven churches" (v.4; cf. v.11).  Here John is using the number seven as a symbolic tool referring to the full number of churches (from all times and places), of which the "seven churches...in Asia" are representative.  In light of all that he has been shown, John uses his greeting to express his desire that the triune God (Father, Spirit, Son) would use this revelation to strengthen and reassure the churches as they eagerly anticipate the coming of Christ.

Main Point: John wants the churches to be experience much-needed grace and peace from the triune God through the message of Book of Revelation.

Discussion Questions:

• Who is the Book of Revelation written to?
• How are numbers often used in apocalyptic literature? 
• How is John using the number seven in v.4?
• What effect does John hope that the message of Revelation in general and the descriptions of the Father, Spirit, and Son in (v.4) in particular will have on the churches?
• How does the gospel both save us and send us (vv.5b-6)? 
• Why will many people wail at the sight of Jesus' coming?  What effect should this have on us in terms of witnessing to the unbelievers that God has placed in our lives?

Application Questions:

• What circumstances are troubling me at present?
• How might the descriptions of the Father, Spirit, and Son in v.4 be used to strengthen and comfort me?
• What people in my life would wail at Christ's coming? How should this influence my interactions with them?

Prayer Points:

• Praise Father, Spirit, and Son for who they are according to vv.4-8
• Ask God to strengthen and comfort you in light of who He is
• Praise Jesus for saving you and and for sending you.
• Plead with God to help you urgently share the gospel with unbelievers so that they will worship and not wail when Jesus comes back.  

Salt & Light (Matt. 5:13-16)

Outline: Matthew 5:13-16

1. Two metaphors 
2. One main point
3. One all-consuming goal

Summary: Good works grow out of good character.  Having described in the Beatitudes the type of people his followers ought to be in terms of their character, Jesus now illustrates with two metaphors what his followers ought to do in terms of their good works.  Just as salt enhances food and light illumines darkness, so too the Christ-follower's life is to be filled with good works.  By living a life of good works, Christians become noticeably distinct in this bland and dark world and their distinctiveness is precisely what causes unbelievers in their spheres of influence to encounter the living God.  Jesus commands us to be distinct, to be salty and bright, that others might taste and see that God is good.  

Discussion Questions:

• What is the relationship between the Beatitudes and the call to be salt and light?
• What can we learn about salt and light from our text? 
• What is the shared main point Jesus emphasizes in these metaphors? 
• What is the all-consuming goal of living salty and bright lives?
• What is the relationship between salt & light, good works, and God's glory?
• What can we learn about our Savior's heart by what he commands in v.16?
• Note: the "you" is plural (y'all).  Thus, this teaching applies to the church as a whole not just to individual Christians.  How does a church become salty and bright, distinct from the world?

Application Questions:

• In what ways am I distinct from unbelievers in my life and thus a means for them to see God?
• In what ways am I not distinct enough and thus hindering them from seeing God?

Prayer Points:

• Confess to God ways you are not distinct and look too much like the world.
• Praise Jesus, the Distinct One, the Light who shined in our darkness allowing us to see God.
• Thank God for all the ways He is helping you live a distinct life.
• Acknowledge how much you need God to help you shine brighter and brighter!
• Pray for a love for unbelievers in your life, that through your distinctness they might taste and see that God is good.

Saved for the Salvation of Others! (Acts 26:14-18)

                                                                                                                        Visit fbcpierz.org/sermons to listen to this sermon. 

 Outline: Acts 26:14-18

1. Jesus saved Paul (vv.14-15, cf. 26:4-11 & 9:1-22)
2. Jesus sent Paul (vv.16-18)

Summary: Paul is standing before King Agrippa and is expected to give a defense, a defense against the Jews who want to see him put to death.  Paul responds by sharing his testimony, that is, by bearing witness to who he was (26:4-12) and then what Christ did (vv.13-18).  In essence, Paul is saying: “Jesus saved me and Jesus has sent me.”  For Paul, to be saved was to be sent.  To have his eyes opened was to be part of opening the eyes of others.  Paul was on trial because he proclaimed the name of the One who opened his eyes—Jesus Christ.

Discussion Questions:

• What was Paul like before he came to know Christ? (26:4-12; cf. 9:1-2)
• For the back-story, READ 9: 1-18 (cf. 26:13-15).  How was Paul converted?
• What role did Ananias play?  Does this teach us anything about how Jesus saves people?
• What did Paul do almost immediately after he was saved?
• Why do you think Paul grew strong in the wake of his conversionActs 9:22?
• What was Paul being sent to do?
• What is the relationship between being saved and being sent?
• How would you respond to someone who says, “Oh, but that is the great and godly apostle Paul…surely this kind of witness is not expected of me”? (cf. 1 Cor. 11:1; Isa. 42:1-7; Matt. 11:4-6)

Application Questions:

• What is your testimony?  Who were you and what did Jesus do to bring you to himself?
• Are you actively sharing your faith with others?  If not, what may be holding you back?
• “To be saved is to be sent.”  Do you believe this?  On a scale of 1-10—1 being barely applied and 10 being greatly applied—at what level do you live like this is true? 
• When we fall short of sharing our faith at the level that we should, how would Jesus have us apply the gospel to our hearts?  

 Prayer Points:

• Confess to God any failures to live like one who has been sent to open they eyes of unbelievers.  Receive forgiveness from Jesus, the only perfect Witness (1 John 1:9).
• Ask God to provide clear opportunities for you to share about Jesus and to give the courage needed to stand strong and bold and loving in those moments.
• Pray that God would fuse the idea of being saved together with the idea of being sent so that witnesses would become a more natural part of your life.
•  Pray that God will help you to teach others that being saved and being sent always belong together, for to be a disciple is to be a disciple maker.
• Thank God for the gospel and how he opened our eyes in salvation, bringing us from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God.