The Ephesus church
The Apostle John writing in the book of Revelations records these words given by Jesus,
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
Remember the height from which 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.
But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelations 2:1-7
Here Jesus commends the church of Ephesus as having good works. That they have persevered. That they cannot tolerate wicked men and have even tested those who claim to be Christians but are not.
He then point out,
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which 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.’"
Our first love should be to God and His one and only Son Christ Jesus. Everything else is secondary.
Sadly as I look at the churches in North America where I live many have turned away from Christ. There first love has become a whole host of things, individual pastors or evangelist, political leaders, material things including money.
This should not be so. We should have our eyes fixed on Christ Jesus. As the writer of the book of Hebrews states,
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:2.
Are your eyes fixed on Jesus? Would those around you, your friends, family and neighbours say your eyes are fixed on Jesus?
Please think about it?
