Messages To The Church Part: 2

To the Church at Ephesus – They Lost Their First Love

The Church of Ephesus was hard working, patient and enduring and had a zero tolerance for evil and pagan worship.  They were faithful to God and upheld the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  False apostles and false teachings had no place in their church; but they were growing weary in bearing up to all of the pulls of the world around them and the false church.  As a result, they lost their first love in well doing.  This is a major affront to Jesus Christ.  He commands their love as He does ours today.  Working like a busy bee around the church; but neglecting our relationship with Jesus is a disordering of our priorities.  Jesus does not want our service; He wants our love above all.  We are preparing to enter into an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Mighty God as His Bride and partner.  We are here in the flesh to develop our relationship with Jesus.  Yes we do need to serve the Gospel; the work of the Church must be done; but not to the neglect of our relationship with the Master. our LORD. 

The Nicolaitans

According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary; “The Nicolaitans were a class of professing Christians, who sought to introduce into the church a false freedom or licentiousness, thus abusing Paul's doctrine of grace.”  The church hated the Nicolaitans, but could not see that they had stopped honoring God with their worship; stopped honoring God with their love.  They were caught up with working and building the church at the expense of the one who formed the church, Jesus Christ.  We can make service and hard work our god and neglect Jesus doing the service to the church.

Revelation 2:1-7 ESV "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.  (2)  "'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.  (3)  I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.  (4)  But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.  (5)  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.  (6)  Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  (7)   He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'

Relationship With Jesus Starts at The Altar

With the patriarchs of the Old Testament, worship began by building an altar.  During the time of the Church of the Wilderness, the Congregation of Israel worshiped at the altar of the Tabernacle.  King Saul built an unauthorized and unholy altar to God.  It was mainly unholy because of Saul’s haughty attitude and unwillingness to follow God’s instructions.  The LORD instructed David to build an altar at Araunah’s threshing floor.  When offered the threshing floor and the land for free; David paid more than market value foe it; saying, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing."

Relationship With Jesus is Built Upon Repentance

David, in his most sinful moments, knew that God didn’t desire empty sacrifice; just as empty penance for absolution in some churches accomplishes next to nothing.  Paying a penalty without a change of heart is worthless.  God is interested in the heart.  He wants a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart!

Psalms 51:17-19 ESV The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  (18)  Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;  (19)  then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

We must first repent, on a  daily basis, if we want to follow the Apostle Paul’s example; then serve the church as David said in Psalms 51, “Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem.” Then our sacrifices of service and offerings will mean something.

Examine yourself!  Where are you at?  How often do you go to the altar of repentance and renew your love and commitment to Jesus Christ?  Your eternity is riding on your relationship with Jesus!  Rekindle your First Love for the LORD!