Ephesus- Lost First Love

Ephesus – Lost First Love

  Jeff Lampl

Is it possible to be diligent, hard working and self-sacrificial, even . . . .  
loving, but to still “miss the boat?”

As I was reading the last book the Bible, Revelation (no “s”!), in preparation for next Wednesday night’s one night overview of this important book (you’re invited!), I read the passage below where Jesus is addressing a church of about 3 dozen believers in a city of about 250,000, the vast majority of whom were enthusiastically joining the new and quickly spreading religion of Caesar Worship (which also went under the name of “gospel” or  “good news”), but the city also contained thousands of Jews who were vehemently against the spread of this new “Jesus cult”. 

Jesus tells the author of Revelation, John, to tell the Angel of Ephesus to tell the church members that they, although looking like a terrific church from the outside (and, yes, they look great to me, especially given the demographic odds and circumstances!), nevertheless they’re missing what actually matters.

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.  I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.  You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.  Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.  But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."    Revelation 2:1-7 (NIV2011)

“Repent and do the things you did at first. . .or I will remove your lampstand from its place . . . . who has ears let him hear”.  Strong words!

So, I am asking myself, what were those things that I did at first, that I have stopped doing or perhaps have continued to do but with a heart that’s grown cold.    One thing I’ve noticed is that I have the capacity do loving things, but without love.  I can, for example, serve family members, but do so without being fully “there”.  I can do my Christian acts of service without actually listening to and taking into my heart and mind the actual people I am serving.   I can pray to God, read scripture, and write devotionals like this one, yet do so as a duty, hurriedly, dutifully, without being attentive to and receptive to  Jesus Himself.   It seems to me that Jesus doesn’t like this.  And he loves us enough to wake us up with some tough words.   It seems that when first things become second things and second things become first things we are then in danger of losing both.

“Lord, please give me ears to hear what your Spirit is saying to me,

and then the discipline and strength of character to act on you guidance”

Amen