Leaving Our First Love-Ephesus

Revelation 2:1-7,(NKJV) "To the angel(messenger) of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: "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, having 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 first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from it's place-unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." '

We've been discussing the "heart" issue that seems to permeate the church of Jesus Christ today. Jesus Himself gives the diagnosis of the problem, "you have left your first love." Ephesus is the key to understanding the progression or regression that will occur in the life of every Christian. On the surface the church at Ephesus seems to be a model church. They are hard working, patient, moral(cannot bear evil) and sound of doctrine(test false teachers-apostles such as the Nicolaitans). They do all of this in the name of Christ(for My name's sake). Yet, beneath the outward appearance, their is a huge problem. They have left their "first love."

What Does This Mean?

According to the "Greatest Commandement," our first love must be God,"Love the Lord God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength." Ephesus was a church(and remember we are the church, not a building) that was busy for God and stood for His word. Yet they did this from a corrupt heart. Their motive for doing these things did not stem from a love for God. And the lesson is this: Anytime we attempt to serve God from anything but a pure motive(love for Him) we cannot truly serve God, and instead serve from our fleshly motives. We lack the power of God to truly acomplish the work of God, and as a result cannot fulfill the "Greatest Commandment." If God is not our "first love," we are not capable of loving our neighbors as ourselves. That sort of love is supernatural and we are only capable of showing it through the power of the Holy Spirit.

As a result churches and Christians who serve like the church at Ephesus become inwardly focussed(upon themselves) instead of showing the love of Christ to our lost world. This attitude of the heart sadly describes far more churches and Christians than it does not. We acquire a "country club" mentality where church becomes all about us, instead of winning a lost world and making disciples who will do the same. We can be as busy as termites in trying to serve the Lord but if our focus is not fully upon Him, we serve in vain, as the power of God is not present in our service. Service is important, and doctrine is certainly important, but motive is more important according to Jesus in His letter to Ephesus.

The Lessons of the Seven Churches

As we take a look at each of the seven churches we will see either the progression a believer makes if they maintain their pure motives and love of God, or the regression that will inevitably occur in a believers and churches life if we rely upon the flesh, our efforts, instead of wholly loving God. As we stated earlier, Ephesus is the key to understanding this. If our motive is not pure, sin will creep in, and "the wages of sin is death." The lesson of Ephesus is that without our "first love, " progression is impossible and regression will surely occur.

Jesus's letters to the 7 churches may be the most relevant teachings in the bible for us today. They are so very relevent because Jesus in these letters tells us of the state of His church right before the rapture occurs(Revelation 4:1). And when Jesus speaks of the condition of His church, He is speaking of us, as we are the church. Yesterday we stated that we are proceeding with the belief that their are representatives of each of the 7 churches within the body of Christ today. With that belief that means that each of us is either progressing in our walk with Christ by living out the "Greatest Commandment" or regressing because we have left our first love. We are either all in, or we are not.

Recipe for Revival

Jesus's cure for leaving our "first love" is simple. Remember from where we have fallen, repent and return to our first works(living and practicing the "Greatest Commndment."). In other words, start putting God first in our lives again and regain the fire and love for God that enveloped us when we first came to Him through Jesus. Without our "first love," we cannot truly serve and glorify God, as we seperate ourselves from His power. Whether we are progressing or regressing in our walk with Christ, their will be a cost. Tomorrow we will see the cost of progressing with Christ, and in the following days we will see the cost of regression that will occur if our heart is not right with God. Join us tomorrow as we look at the church of Smyrna and what we can expect if we remain faithful to our "first love," Jesus Christ. Have a great Lord's Day and God bless.