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Speaker: Rev. Shine Thomas
Posted on: 2009-02-22
Series: Revelation

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Introduction: I heard someone speaking about his first love. He was talking about the long meetings, long walks he had with his fiancee after their engagement. They often looked at the blue sky and dreamt of living in their own house and days used to just run like minutes. This love went into their marriage. Whatever they spoke or did was out of love. Love was patient, kind, selfless, long suffering and so on. This is first love.

This morning I want to speak to you on first love from the Bible.

Read Revelation 2:1-7.

Brief History: We studied about Jesus Christ standing in the midst of 7 churches. Today I want to go to the letter of Jesus to the Church at Ephesus written by John. This letter has something for City Harvest AG Church. Let us open our eyes and ears and understand what Jesus has to say to us today through this letter.

Background of Ephesus

Ephesus is in present day Turkey. When this letter was written (1200 BC) Greeks were the residents Ephesus. This city was close to the sea and it was a major port city. This city was the gateway for trade to all of Asia Minor. It became a major city by the 1st century. The Roman governor lived here. The Ephesians worshipped Goddess Diana. By 2nd century Christians were martyred in the temple of Goddess Diana. They were fed to the lions for the entertainment of the people.

Apostle Paul recognized the importance of this city and founded the church at Ephesus. He initially spent 3-1/2 years in Ephesus and later wrote the Book of Ephesians to this church. Paul later appointed Timothy to this church and the books of I and II Timothy were addressed again to this church. Ephesians was also the mother church of John in the last days and it is the closest to Patmos, about 60 miles away. This may be the reason why John first wrote the letter to the church at Ephesus.

What is Jesus telling to this church?

Revelation 2:2-3. Here we find Jesus complimenting as well as criticizing the Church at Ephesus.

Compliments of Christ to the church at Ephesus.

a. I know your deeds. Jesus knew the hard work of the Ephesian church. Today, Jesus knows about your hard work. He knows how much you struggle in life. Do you ever get discouraged? Do you feel no one seems to know what you are going through? Do you feel that no one cares for you? Do you feel that you are doing a lot of work at church, family, work place and none are appreciative of what you are doing? Jesus says, “I know about your hard work. I know your feelings. I see what you do and I appreciate you.” God is telling you, “You see that no one cares about you but you are wrong, I see what you are doing.” In other words, “I know you are teaching in Sunday School, care cells, active in choir or the worship team. I know your hard work in you office and at home. I know you and appreciate you.” Child of God knows whatever you and I are doing for the Lord.

b. I know you are doctrinally sound. Revelation 2:2b. God is telling the Church at Ephesus that he knows they never deviate from the Word of God or they never twist the gospel. The Church at Ephesus was doctrinally correct. Today, God is telling us the struggles we face in holding on to the biblical doctrines in this corrupt world and he is commending us for that.

c. I know you endure hardships. Revelation 2:3. Jesus congratulates the Church at Ephesus for perseverance in hardships. He is telling them - when you were in trouble you have not given up, you have not grown tired, you have not left Christ. The Church at Ephesus kept up the determination in following Jesus even in their troubles. God is telling them that he is happy because even in their tough times they were faithful to God.

Criticism of the church at Ephesus

Jesus congratulates this church first but then he says he has one thing against this church. Revelation 2:4 says the church has forsaken its first love. The Ephesian church started out with deep love for Christ. In the letter to Ephesians apostle Paul speaks 20 times of their love. Ephesians 3:17 “You are rooted and grounded in love.” When it comes to Revelation John says that Jesus is saying, “You have forsaken your first love.” Jesus is saying that you do everything right. You are preaching, singing, worshipping, having baptisms etc but you are doing it as a duty, not out of love for me. In other words Jesus is telling doctrinally you are correct and professionally you are excellent but devotionally you are very wrong. You do things not out of love for me but you do it as a duty.

Child of God we have to do the ministry at church not as an obligation but as an act of love to God. A newly wed couple does everything for each other. This is not out of duty, but that is the expression of love for each other, that is first love.

What is first love in God’s eyes?

It is the love that first brought you to the Lord. The love you have when you saw the cross for the first time. The feeling you had when you knew Jesus shed his blood for you and loved you.

Child of God when we were in our fist love we were so interested in coming to church in time, in praying, in singing, in our biblical devotions, in giving to God etc. Now if we do it out of duty it shows our first love has died down. Understand first love may fade away. It needs to be protected and reinforced. Many of us have lost our first love towards God.

How do you lose your first love?

Matthew 24:12. Sin increases, wickedness increases and love grows cold. It is not big sins that the Bible is talking about. It is through small sins in our lives that wickedness grows in us and we lose our first love.

Illustration: A boy and girl fell in love and got married. Initially they spent a lot of quality time together and later due to the stress of family life due to children growing, life’s busy schedules etc they could not spent quality time together. One day they got together and said to each other that their love life has faded and they need a divorce. They felt the other person has changed; he/she is not the same as they used to be.

See their love has starved. There was no nourishment for their love. Remember our spiritual love too needs nourishment otherwise it may starve and we will come out of our first love.

How to we find first love?

Revelation 2:5

a. Remember the height from which you have fallen.

Where is something that we lose, it is there where we left it initially. If I have lost my car keys where do I find it, it is just there where I have left it. I have to go back to the place I lost it and get it back. It is the same with God. We have to understand the places we have gone away from God and rectify it.

b. Repent.

When we repent we look back to our sins and come back to God. John the Baptist spoke about repentance. Jesus spoke about repentance. The prophets in the Old Testament spoke on repentance. Let us repent from our sins today. In Genesis we see Jacob was taken back to Bethel when he returned from his father-in-law’s house. Bethel is the place where he had intimacy with God. Now he was taking his family back to his father’s house. He had to pass through Bethel and there he said to his family to get rid of their idols and their strange Gods. They buried their idols under and Oak tree that day. We can find that when Jacob comes back to the place he had intimacy with God he is reminded about the idols and strange Gods that is in his possession. Child of God it is only when we repent and come back to the place we have left our love with God that we come to know about the mistakes we have committed. What do you need to bury today? Let us repent and return to our first love.

Conclusion: Campbell Morgan told the story of a man who had a beautiful daughter. They were the best friends and the favorite thing was an evening walk. One day she said she can’t go for the walk day and it hurt the father. The next day also she said the same and the father was broken hearted. It happened for several days and finally his birthday arrived. She said this is why I haven’t been able to walk with you. I have been making these and showed him a beautiful pair or hand made slippers. With a tear in his eye he said, “I like them, I really do, but next time, buy them, for I’d rather spend time with you than receive something from you.”

Child of God, God wants to spend time with you and me today. Whatever we are doing for God is good but more than that (more than our deeds) God wants our love. Let us return to our first love today. Amen!