February 2010

The Church of Ephesus

Revelation 2:1-7

The Church of Ephesus was begun by the Apostle Paul and was the first of seven churches addressed by the Lord. Ephesus was the most prominent city in Asia and the home of the greatest Greek temple in the world, dedicated to the idol Greek goddess, Diana. The Lord commended the Church of Ephesus for her good deeds, hard work, perseverance, intolerance of wicked men and false ministries, their discerning of false apostles, and for hating, as did Christ, the deeds of the Nicolaitans (clergy establishing a hierarchy over the laity).


In spite of all the commendations sited by the Lord, He had a complaint. “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love”, Revelation 2:4. Shortly after the martyrdom of the Apostle Paul, the Church of Ephesus left, not lost, their love for the Savior. Their ministry became mechanical, their worship became their work, their devotion turned to duty, and their relationship with the Lord became routine. One reads in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 that if one does not have God-like love, regardless of what one can accomplish, it profits nothing.

Christ offers counsel to the faltering Church of Ephesus. Remember your salvation and passion for the Lord. Repent of your coldness and rekindle your love for Jesus. Repeat what you did in the beginning of your walk with God, with Calvary in mind. Return to your first love, Jesus!

The Lord issues this admonition, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”, Revelation 2:7a. What does this mean? It simply means we should listen very attentively and take personally what the Holy Spirit has said. We must examine ourselves, a spiritual checkup, and make sure of the reason for what we are doing. Do you worship God in spirit and in truth, or are you routinely going through the motions? Are you serving with a heart of compassion for others, or is it because you feel obligated? We get to serve the Lord; it is a wonderful privilege! Is there a relationship being cultivated between you and Jesus, or are we Christian in name only? Why do you read your Bible, or do you? These are self examination questions to assist in keeping our love for Jesus from growing cold. The summation is: have you gotten over getting saved?

This passage ends with a promise to all who overcome. The Lord Jesus offers eternal provision and access to eat of the tree of life. What man lost because of sin in the Garden of Eden, Christ regains through His redemptive sacrifice and provides free access to all overcomers.

Learning to serve,
Robert Finley