TO EPHESUS--RESTORE YOUR FIRST LOVE

Passage: Revelation 2:1-7

Key verse: 4,5

NIV

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus(A) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand(B) and walks among the seven golden lampstands.(C) 2 I know your deeds,(D) your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested(E) those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.(F) 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,(G) and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.(H) 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent(I) and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand(J) from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,(K) which I also hate.

7 Whoever has ears, let them hear(L) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(M) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,(N) which is in the paradise(O) of God.

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Footnotes
  1. Revelation 2:1 Or messenger; also in verses 8, 12 and 18
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of (A)him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, (B)who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

2 (C)“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but (D)have tested those (E)who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up (F)for my name's sake, and you (G)have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned (H)the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do (I)the works you did at first. If not, (J)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 (K)the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 (L)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (M)To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of (N)the tree of life, which is in (O)the paradise of God.’

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Hard work and perseverance (1-3)

Jesus' first message was to the Church in Ephesus. It is a message to all believers who work hard to serve the Lord and struggle to be faithful. Jesus saw their hard work and faithfulness. They were loyal to Jesus, and did not tolerate those whose teachings were not Biblical. They endured hardships for Jesus' sake and did not give up. But they should repent of one thing.

2. Don't forsake your first love (4-7)

It is good to hate what Jesus hates; but our hearts must be full of love, not full of self-righteous criticism of others. We must work hard for the sake of Jesus. But, first of all, we must love Jesus and we must love Jesus' people. We must repent of our calloused hearts and serve Jesus and his people with joyful hearts, as we did at first.

Prayer: Lord, help me to work hard and endure hardship for Jesus' sake. Forgive my hardness of heart and give me the loving heart of Jesus.

One Word: Repent, overcome, endure and love