Jesus has something to say to the church. He has something to say to individual, local churches. Revelation 2-3 will address us I think in really profound, transformational ways. Last week we looked at the last part of Revelation 1 in which John saw a vision of the exalted, sovereign Lord Jesus Christ who commissioned him to write the book of Revelation which includes specific letters to seven ancient churches in Asia Minor. These were real churches with real people that were alive toward the latter part of the first century. 

The first letter is addressed to the church at Ephesus. This was an important church. Ephesus was a large, important, bustling city in the ancient world. At the time this was written, Ephesus may have been the fourth largest city in the world with about 250,000 people. Ephesus was the site of the Temple of Artemis, the goddess of fertility - which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the place. But Paul brought the gospel and tremendous things began to take place. It was in Ephesus that many who believed confessed and divulged their occulting practices, publicly burning their books. And it was in Ephesus that the gospel had such a profound influence that idol makers were going out of business so they stirred up a riot against Paul (Acts 19)  So this was a solid church with a rich history in the gospel that Jesus wanted to address.  Notice how Jesus introduces himself in verse 1:

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The words of Him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands…

Jesus is talking about himself. He is saying, “The One speaking to you holds the seven stars and walks among the seven golden lampstands”. Jesus holds the seven stars, which represent angels to the churches. The word angel simply means messenger, so it could be heavenly messengers or human - like the pastor of the church. I tend to think it is a human messenger. Jesus is the One who holds the messengers in his right hand - his hand of authority. In other words, He is sovereign over them. They belong to Him and do His bidding. The messengers have a message, and it is not their own. They are to deliver the words of Christ, who holds them in his hand. That’s what a messenger does. He is sent with a message and is faithful to the degree that he delivers the message accurately. 

And Jesus walks among the seven golden lampstands. Jesus said that the seven lampstands in John’s vision were the seven churches. The church is represented by a lampstand. What does a lampstand do? Shines light. The church is called to be a light in a dark place. We are called to that. To give light or shine light, we can’t compromise with the darkness. We can’t hide the light under a blanket. Jesus said,

14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus walks among the golden lampstands. He was in the midst of the seven churches. And he is in the midst of the church now. He identifies with the church. He identifies with us here at RLC. He knows what is going on. And has the correct assessment of strengths, weaknesses, deep needs, the way forward, and our ultimate purpose. He walks among the churches. He is in our midst. And he is the One who gives us light. Our light is a derived light. He is the light of the world. And he calls us the light of the world, because he has given us his light and we now reflect him. 

But a church’s light can become dim and Jesus can even completely snuff it out if a church continues in disobedience to His call and purpose. Jesus actually warns of that in verse 5. He says, “If you don’t change course, I will remove the lampstand from its place. The light will go out… completely and for good. WOAH, that is a grave warning! We should pay attention to what he says. Let’s look at it:

1. The GOOD
2. The BAD
3. The REMEDY

The GOOD (v. 2-3)

I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and have found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 

This church is commended for some really good things. In fact, we should aspire to be strong in the way that Ephesus was strong. Twice Jesus commends them for their “patient endurance”. They were a church that was persevering through trials - through difficulty. They understood that following Jesus was walking on the road that is narrow and the way that is hard. And they had been running the race with endurance. Not only that, John also says they didn’t tolerate those who were evil. They were devoted to living upright and holy lives. It brings such reproach on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when the church cares little for obedience and righteous living. When a church is plagued by sexual immorality and scandal, the worst part of it is that the name of Jesus Christ is dragged through the mud. People are hurt, families destroyed, churches split, but supremely Christ’s name is belittled. 

Jesus commends the toil of Ephesus in not putting up with evil. They dealt with it, even to the point of church discipline and excommunication perhaps. Then Jesus commends them for their commitment to the truth. In fact, it seems like some of the evil that they could not tolerate had to do with false teachers and their cancerous teaching. This is good! Jesus praises them for it. When people came claiming to be apostles or even in the church claimed to have a message from God, they did not simply receive their message, nor did they allow it to spread through the church. They tested them. This should not surprise us if we understand this church’s pedigree. . 

Paul planted this church. For three months Paul spoke boldly in the synagogue. And then when he was kicked out of the synagogue, he went to the school of Tyrannus and taught there for hours every day for a period of two years (Acts 19:1-10). His teaching was so effective and spread so much that Acts 19:10 says, “All the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks”. They had been discipled well in the truth. Paul had also warned them that after he left false teachers would infiltrate:

29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:29-30)

Paul warned this would happen. And it did. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy, who had been installed as the Pastor at Ephesus. Early in the first letter he tells Timothy, 

[Timothy,] Charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3

The teachers he had warned about were there. And he tells Timothy to put a stop to them. So this was a discerning bunch. Even after addressing what he had against them, Jesus goes back to their strength in resisting false teaching. He said, “Yet, this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” The Nicolaitans were a heretical group. We don’t know for sure what they taught, but from what we see in verses 13-15, it seemed to include sexual immorality and idolatry. He applauds their hatred of the work and teaching of this group. And notice, Jesus too hates their teaching / works too. 

Do you hate the works and teaching of those who are false? Do you test the teaching of those you listen to? Do you test those who claim to be teachers, prophets, and so forth? This is a great need in our day. The greatest need in the church is discernment. I once heard someone describe a Christian or church without discernment is like a body that has AIDS. Someone with AIDS can die of a common cold because they have no ability to fight it off. Similarly a person/church with no discernment will fall for and be led astray by anything. The good that Jesus commends at Ephesus is their duty and doctrine. 

[What about the bad? Well, it’s bad.]

The BAD (v. 4)

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

Jesus says, “You have abandoned the love you had in the beginning.” I think it’s obvious that he is talking about love for Him. This is a serious and potentially deadly defect. It is actually the most important thing! The Ephesians were straying not in their doctrine, nor in their behavior, but in their affections. They had fallen into a sort of stiff, cold dutifulness. They had their doctrine in check. It was right on the mark. But the supreme motivation was gone, devotion to Christ was gone.

And this is so sneaky. because it may have appeared outwardly that they loved God. They were dutiful in resisting evil. They were persevering in the face of opposition. They resisted false teaching. And they did all of these things without growing weary. And all that is great! It would be wrong to say, “all you need is loving feelings, who cares about all that stuff”. That would be the opposite error. All of that is great. But, the main thing, the fundamental thing was missing. It’s not that they abandoned Jesus - or denied him. No. They were lost the fervency of the love they had before! Remember what Jesus said to the Pharisees?  

7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (Matthew 15:7-9)

I am not saying they were Pharisees or it was identical to the problem of the Pharisees. Just this. They may have been saying the correct things. And doing the right things. They may have been defending the faith against heretics. But they had grown cool in their affections for God. And Jesus says it is the “love you had at first”. 

Jesus said to the Ephesians, “You have left this love you once had… at the beginning.” Have you ever been there? Are you today? Or perhaps there is someone here today who if honest would say, “I have never loved Christ”. I believe in him, but I don’t know if I love him. When Jesus restored Peter, he didn’t ask Peter three times “Do you believe in Me?” but “Do you love Me?”

I know I can say, “I love him… but I also know what it is like to go through the motions and be dutiful and seek to be faithful to scripture and resist false teaching, and desire to win an argument, and be a soldier in this great cosmic battle… AND lose sight of what it is all about - love for Christ! Love is supreme! It must be the pervasive motive for all we do. 

This is the bad: You have abandoned the love you had at first. And it is bad. Really bad. I hope you see that. And I hope your heart is laid open before the Lord so you are ready for the remedy He prescribes. So what’s the remedy?

The REMEDY (v. 5)

Remember, therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 

Remember from where you have fallen. Remember that exalted place you once occupied in love with the Savior! Do you remember? Listen to what Charles Spurgeon said:

When we first loved the Saviour how earnest we were; there was not a single thing in the Bible, that we did not think most precious; there was not one command of his that we did not think to be like fine gold and choice silver. . . . Again, how happy you used to be in the ways of God. Your love was of that happy character that you could sing all day long. There was a time when every bitter thing was sweet; whenever you heard the Word, it was all precious to you. . . . Again: when we were in our first love, what would we do for Christ; now how little will we do. Some of the actions which we performed when we were young Christians, perhaps just converted, when we look back upon them, seem to have been wild tales. . .

Do you remember? Then repent. But notice repentance leads to action. True repentance leads to a change in life. So repent… change course, and do the things you did at first. What did you do at first? Well, you loved Jesus! And when you love someone, that person occupies your thoughts. Two lovers enjoy looking at each other, they spend time together. But this is not like flipping a wall switch. Affections don’t work that way. 

The way to rekindle your affections for Christ is not by focusing so much on your affections (or lack thereof) for Christ - “Do I have them… where are they?” The focus must be on the object of our love. The great Puritan preacher, Richard Sibbes said, “The gospel breeds love in us to God”. And here’s why. The gospel takes our eyes off of ourselves and points to Christ. So if our heart is cold toward the Lord Jesus, it probably is because the heart is starved of the gospel. Life has been more about doing and not about “Looking at and rejoicing in what the Lord Jesus has done!” The gospel banquet table where our hearts feast on the love of Christ, which then stirs up our love for Him. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” 

Micheal Reeves wisely writes, “It is not enough to be aware of Christ’s love; we must sense and grasp and enjoy it. Only then will we truly love the LORD our God with all our hearts.” I think this is what happened to Ephesus… they were probably aware of the love of Christ. If someone asked them a theological question about his love, they certainly could have answered it correctly. But they were not living in and enjoying it and so they had abandoned the love they had at first. The love they had when Paul came to town and people threw their books of incantations into the fire, destroyed their household idols, and loved the Lord Jesus with all their hearts. 

Jesus issues a warning for the church that won’t repent. He said, “If you don’t repent, I will remove the lampstand. You will cease to be my church”. He’s saying the church that has no love for Christ will be shut down. You can understand why. A church that does not love Christ is a church where Jesus Christ is not welcome and so he is not there, and the light goes completely out. There may still be a building… and people who meet together, but the Spirit is not there. You may as well write over the door: “Ichabod. The glory has departed.” So there is urgency; repent and rekindle the love you had at first. 

Do you hear? (v. 7a)

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

Do you hear? Do you hear? Let’s ask the Lord to grant us to be known for our love for Christ… and as such to be a faithful and bright light in this dark and perverse generation.

Let’s pray.