In the bustling city of Ephesus, a thriving commercial hub at the intersection of major highways and home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, stood a church with an impressive pedigree. Founded by Paul, nurtured by Timothy, and likely shepherded by John, this congregation seemed to have it all. From the outside, it appeared to be a model church—one that many would eagerly join and pastors would dream of leading.
Yet, appearances can be deceiving.
In the book of Revelation, we find a sobering message addressed to this very church. Jesus, described as the One who holds the seven stars and walks among the seven golden lampstands, commends the Ephesian church for their commendable qualities:
- Their deeds and good works
- Their toil to the point of exhaustion
- Their perseverance in the face of hardship
- Their intolerance of evil
- Their discernment in identifying false teachers
It’s a list that would make any congregation proud. But then comes the divine critique that cuts to the heart: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
This revelation serves as a stark reminder that busyness, even in good and godly pursuits, can become the enemy of our most crucial calling—to love God and to love others. The Ephesian church had fallen into a trap that many of us risk today: substituting legalism and religious activity for loving devotion.
Jesus’ words to Ephesus echo through the centuries, challenging us to examine our own hearts. Are we, like them, maintaining an appearance of godliness while our hearts grow cold? Have we exchanged the fervor of our first love for a checklist of religious duties?
The path from passionate love to lukewarm obligation is rarely sudden. It’s a gradual drift, a slow erosion of priorities where time with God is squeezed out by an ever-growing list of “important” tasks. Before we know it, cynicism replaces trust, competition overshadows compassion, and the love of being right becomes more important than serving people.
But there is hope. Jesus doesn’t leave the Ephesians—or us—without a remedy. He provides a three-step path to revival:
- Remember: Think back to the way it was when you first came to faith. Recall the joy, the wonder, the gratitude that filled your heart.
- Repent: Make a 180-degree turn. Recognize where you’ve strayed and commit to changing course.
- Return: Do the deeds you did at first. Rekindle the practices that once fueled your love for God and others.
This call to revival isn’t about feeling bad about our shortcomings. It’s about taking action. It’s about recognizing that love—for God and for others—is a commitment to go the distance and begin again, and again, and again if necessary.
The church, after all, is not just an organization but a living organism – a family. And like any family, it can be messy, requiring grace, forgiveness, and understanding. But it’s within this very community that God chooses to reveal Himself and work out His plan of redemption.
In a world that often pushes us towards individualism, the message to Ephesus reminds us of our need for each other. We are called to stir one another towards love and good deeds, to prioritize the spiritual disciplines of worship, Bible reading, fellowship, serving, and giving. These practices aren’t mere routines; they’re lifelines that keep our hearts tethered to our first love.
Jesus’ words come with both a warning and a promise. To those who have ears to hear—those who truly surrender to Him as Savior and Lord—there’s a responsibility to trust and obey. We cannot remain unchanged after hearing His rebuke and warning. None of us lives so perfectly that we don’t need revival.
But to those who overcome, who depend day by day on the Holy Spirit, Jesus promises a glorious future. He speaks of eating from the tree of life, a powerful image that takes us back to the Garden of Eden and forward to the restoration of all things. It’s a reminder that God has been working throughout history to bring us back to the point where it all went off the rails, offering us a chance to start anew.
As we reflect on Jesus’ message to the church at Ephesus, let’s ask ourselves some challenging questions:
- Where has busyness crept into our spiritual lives, crowding out our love for God and others?
- In what areas have we substituted religious activity for genuine devotion?
- How can we practically remember, repent, and return to our first love?
The cycle of spiritual awakening is ongoing. It’s a continual process of being revived, filled with God’s love, and rekindled with fire from above. May we echo the words of the old hymn:
“Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love. May each soul be rekindled with fire from above. Hallelujah! Thine the glory, hallelujah! Amen! Hallelujah! Thine the glory, revive us again.”
Let us not be content with being busy for God but instead strive to be in love with God. For when we love God most, we will love others best. And in doing so, we’ll find that our deeds, our toil, and our perseverance flow not from obligation, but from a heart overflowing with the love we first received.
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MichaelStovall 