We pick up where we left off last time in Revelation 2 looking at the message to the church in Ephesus. We have already seen the character of Christ and the commendation that He gives to this church. This is a wonderful church. It is busy, it is doing the things that it should do. It holds the line against false teachers and the Lord wants to commend them for these many things. But, starting with Revelation 2:4 He begins to condemn them, so to speak. He is bringing to them some areas of concern that He has with them.
He says, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” This is the major issue at the church of Ephesus. “What did He mean that they had left their first love?” This has been a question for Bible commentators for a long time. They had not left Christ. It wasn’t that they didn’t love Christ. They were not loving other things more than Christ, I don’t think. That would be closer to idolatry. I think we are talking more about the passion and fervor of their life. I think, like almost anything in life, we can grow used to even the best of things including our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. While we can continue to go through the routines and do all the things that we ought to be doing as Christians, as they were doing at Ephesus; the passion, the heart, the desire, the true drive begins to fade, and we find ourselves going through the motions, but not with a heart of love. So, that is probably what He has in mind here. I think this is something that we all need to be on guard with in our own personal lives first, and then of course in our churches. Let us make sure that we are serving Christ out of hearts of love. Our love is for Him. Our supreme love is for the Lord Jesus Christ and let that not grow cold. So, He says this to them in a way of correction saying, “Now here’s your problem, you have left your first love.”
How is that going to be corrected? He says in Revelation 2:5, “Therefore, remember from where you have fallen.” He is telling them that they need to recognize that they are not what they used to be and that they have fallen. And He says, “and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place – unless you repent.” Twice He says, “repent.” So, after they recognize that they have done wrong, and after they have remembered from where they have fallen; they now repent from that. They now turn away from the direction they have been going and return to the direction they used to go. That is the idea of repentance. Changing your mind, switching direction in your mind in such a way that you switch directions in your life. So, they are to repent and return to what they used to do.
He says if they do not do that, He is going to remove their lampstand. This is a phrase used several times in these messages to the churches. Speaking of the idea that, perhaps, their ministry would be diminished. They are put in a particular location. As a lampstand they are to shine the light of Christ, and if they are not doing that as they should be doing, then the Lord might simply remove them from that position of being a lighthouse for Him. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the doors of the church close because I think a lot of churches that long ago have had their lampstand removed are still in existence, but they are no longer the lighthouse for Christ. They are no longer the shining light for Christ. That is over because they have moved away from the things of the Lord . . .
