The Church in Ephesus: Their First Love
Today’s passage: Revelation 2:1–7
Focus verse: “You have forsaken the love you had at first.” (Revelation 2:4)
Of the seven churches, we know most about the church in Ephesus because of the letter Paul wrote to them (the book of Ephesians).
In this epistle Paul teaches them about three main topics: Jesus’s church, faithfulness, and their relationships with each other. We can assume this content is in answer to questions they asked or in response to issues that had come to Paul’s attention.
We can view Jesus’s letter to the Ephesians in Revelation as a follow up to Paul’s. In it, Jesus affirms the Ephesians’ many admirable characteristics, including their virtuous deeds, diligent work, and perseverance.
They have not tolerated false teachers, have persevered under hardship, and have remained strong.
They also stand against the practice of the Nicolaitans. We don’t know much about the Nicolaitans. With only two biblical mentions, both in the book of Revelation, we do, however, know that God doesn’t like their practices, and that’s what matters.
Sandwiched within this affirming list of positive characteristics is one criticism for the church in Ephesus. It is, nonetheless, a weighty one. They have forsaken the love they had at first.
Though they once loved Jesus, their passion for him has faded over time to the point where they’ve now forgotten it. Yes, they’re living out their faith in many positive ways, but they lost sight of why they’re doing what they’re doing.
They’ve forsaken their love for their Savior.
Jesus loved them—and he loves us—so much that he died for all their mistakes—and all of ours. This is the ultimate expression of love, to die for someone else who’s unworthy of such a grand sacrifice.
As recipients of Jesus’s love, we love him in return. He deserves it. We can show our love for him through our worship. We can also show our love for him through our attitudes and our actions by what we say, by what we think, and by what we do.
May we never abandon our love for Jesus. May we walk in his love and keep ourselves in it throughout our entire lives.
Questions:
- If Jesus were to list our positive traits, what might he say?
- How might Jesus describe the church we attend?
- Do we love Jesus now as much as we once did?
- What must we do to not forsake our love for Jesus?
- How do we show Jesus how much we love him?
[Discover more about dying for someone else in Romans 5:7. Read more about love in Luke 10:27, Ephesians 5:1–2, and Jude 1:20–21.]
Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
Read more in Peter’s devotional Bible study, A New Heaven and a New Earth: 40 Practical Insights from John’s Book of Revelation.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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