Ephesus: Don’t Lose Your First Love
Jesus’ evaluation on the church of Ephesus teaches to always stay passionately in love with God (Acts 18:19-20:38)!
REVELATION 2:1-7
1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write [Acts 19:1-20,23-41;20:17-38]: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. [Revelation 1:20] 2 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. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. [Ephesians 6:24] 5 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. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 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.
BREAKDOWN
JESUS’ OPENING DECLARATION
- Jesus holds the seven stars (messengers/pastors) in His right hand
- He walks among the seven golden lampstands (churches)
FIRST PRAISE FOR THE EPHESIAN CHURCH
- The Ephesian saints don’t tolerate wicked people
- They have endured hardships and not given up
REBUKE
- They have forsaken their first love
INSTRUCTION
- Consider how far they have fallen
- Repent and do the things done at first
WARNING
- If they do not repent their lampstand will be removed
SECOND PRAISE FOR THE EPHESIAN CHURCH
- They hate the practices of the Nicolaitans
JESUS’ CLOSING DECLARATION
- 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.