The Love You Had At First

Introduction

A couple of months ago I was preaching about the relationship between faith and doubt and I mentioned a survey that was done earlier this year to explore why many Millennials – that’s people who are in their mid-20s to early 40s, are attending church less often or dropping out altogether. I mentioned this study at the time because one of the reasons for Millennials forgoing church was the feeling that church was not a safe place to explore or express doubts.

But there were also a couple of reasons that were higher on the list than that one. The #1 issue this demographic – my demographic – listed was their disillusionment, the perception that church is full of hypocrisy and tarnished by the moral failings of its major leaders. This was a U.S. study so I suspect American political divisions play a big role in this as well.

But it’s the #2 issue this Barna group survey identified that has clung to me the past few months. And this issue was the feeling that God simply wasn’t present in people’s experience of church. They don’t go to church, or don’t go as often anymore, because when they do they don’t feel like they find God there.

There was a lot of agreement in the survey that the main reasons to go to church are to become closer to God and learn about God, but most people reported that this wasn’t happening for them. That leaves a large group of people out there who do feel like they have important spiritual needs and desires, but aren’t finding church to be a good place help with those.

This seems an awfully important thing to grapple with, especially since we’ve just given ourselves a guiding vision statement for the next season of ministry here at Faith Baptist Church – “Connecting with God, Each Other, and Our Community.”Connecting with God are the first three words, so if we get anything right is should be that!

Everything else flows from this. Connecting with each other is important – people need community and the bonds of friendship, encouragement, and support that come with it.

Connecting with the wider community is important – we are called to made Jesus known by ministering to the brokenness of the world. But if are not first connecting to God and letting Jesus be the reason and the power behind the rest, then we’re just a social or service club that also sings odd songs and reads from an old book a lot…

Some of these things were running through my head when I arrived at this year’s Oasis conference, which is the annual gathering of our larger family of churches, the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. I was there a few weeks ago at our Baptist University, Crandall, in Moncton. The opening message by this year’s speaker – the Youth Alpha developer and Canadian pastor Jason Ballard – really spoke to these things that I’d been dwelling on. So today I’m going to reflect on the same Bible passage he did and I’ll probably tread on some of the same ground in my own way.

This passage comes from the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible and one of the most complicated. Revelation is full of symbols and prophecy about the future that have led to endless debates. Some people find digging in to all of that really interesting, but I’m not really one of them. Having seen how many people have been ridiculously wrong about world events and second comings based on Revelation I tend to tread pretty lightly. My main exception is Revelation 20 and 21, which describes a vision of the new creation – where God restores, heals, resurrects and ushers in a beautiful reunification of heaven and earth in an incredible climax to the Bible’s story.

But Revelation actually starts in a more down-to-earth way. In the first few chapters the book is a series of messages that were meant for seven early churches. The messages don’t all use the same format, but often they say “I know these good things about you, but here’s your biggest problem that you should fix…” Just like any church today these churches had different strengths and weaknesses, and some of them were in a healthier state than others.

Today’s passage is the first of these messages, the one addressed to the early church in the city of Ephesus. But the messages for these churches were meant to be seen by other Christians and churches as well. We can use any of these messages to test ourselves, asking God to help us see what is true for us, and where we should also respond the way these early Christians were urged to respond.

Exploration

This passage begins with some of that symbolism Revelation is known for, declaring that this message to the church in Ephesus comes from “him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.”

The standard Sunday school answer is the correct one here – that would Jesus. He holds the seven stars – referring to angels here – and walks among the seven lampstands – the seven churches. So, I receive what comes next not as the opinion of John, who wrote the contents of the book of Revelation, but as truth from Jesus given to both the early Church and to us – to me – for our good.

The message begins the way any Christian, any church, any servant of Jesus, would want a message from Jesus to begin: “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, 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 you have not grown weary!”

That would be a tremendously encouraging thing to hear for a community that struggled as a small minority in a city that could be very unfriendly to them. The book of Acts records that when the Apostle Paul was preaching in Ephesus he provoked riots – there was powerful resistance to the Gospel message. But, despite the obstacles and persecution, the Ephesian Christians kept at it, they remained faithful, the did the work they believed they were called to do even when it was a hard or discouraging time.

Not only that, but they avoided the mistake that is a big cause of that #1 reason American Millennials are disengaging with church – the Ephesians didn’t put up with wicked people who tried to become leaders and teachers in the their church. They tested them – carefully considered their beliefs and character – to make sure that they would not lead people astray or discourage them.

It would be a really good day if Jesus showed up and said: “Faith Baptist Church, I know that you work hard in my name, that you do many good things and keep doing them even when it is hard. I know that you don’t put up with people who pretend to speak for me but are actually just in it for themselves. I’ve seen that, through all the ups and downs, you have maintained your service and your right beliefs well.”

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just leave it there? It wouldn’t be the whole truth, but it would nice. There is, however, a but. Well, actually, it’s a “yet.”

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the lave you had at first. Consider how far 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.”

By the time Revelation was written the bulk of the people receiving this message were probably second-generation Christians. They had done a good job learning and living out the religious practices handed down to them, but they had lost something that the first generation had – they had fallen away from a deep devotion to Jesus.

That was nearly all the first generation had. Love for Jesus and one another. They had no completed New Testament to study. They had no churches until they founded them. Certainly no Christian radio stations or TV shows or podcasts or conferences. They had the witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, apostles like Paul, their own experience of Christ at work in their lives, and their bonds with each other. And that was enough – here we are two thousand years later because of it. They had passion for their first love – for Jesus. But the next generation replaced the “first love” of Jesus with hard work and good doctrine.

Anyone who has been married for a while knows that the relationship evolves over time. In the early dating and honeymoon phase there is, hopefully, passion. Excitement. You find each other interesting. You wish you could spend more time together and go deeper in your relationship. You think about each other constantly.

And if these things are altogether lost, the marriage dies. Some people stay together anyway because it’s more convenient than splitting up, but if the desire for one another and all the interest and enjoyment are gone, at some point you’re just people sharing a residence.

Of course, no marriage stays in the honeymoon stage forever – over time people usually move into a comfortable companionship, something that is deeper but not as exuberant. But the fire still needs to be tended – excitement and enjoyment aren’t supposed to simply end.

The Ephesian church let their love for Jesus fade away. They worked on Jesus’ behalf, but out of habit or duty, not desire to please Him. They guarded their beliefs because they were taught to do that, but not because they were excited to know God more deeply through them. They faithfully adopted the practices of that first generation, but without the passion that caused that first generation to start doing these things in the first place.

This a rut I know I can fall into at times. I can do it at home, where I slip into dutifulness. I make sure the dishes are done and the lunches are packed and the lawn is mowed and whatever other little details are taken care of, but not much else at times. It’s not that all those everyday tasks aren’t necessary or even that they aren’t an expression of my love and care for my family – they are. But real love and commitment have to go deeper than that. It also means being present and engaged and choosing time together over all the things that need doing and having deep conversations and laughter and joy and romance: the things that the relationship was built on in the first place.

This is also a rut I, and anyone, can fall into on their journey of faith. It can become almost entirely dutiful. Go to church, serve in the church and community in some way, do some devotional things when you’re not too tired, pray hard when something bad or scary happens, and be a morally upright person. All good things. All things that a person who has a deep love for Jesus would do.

But alone – with no passion or desire – it can mean a dead faith. And I think this contributes to this church attendance decline – people are feeling like the experience is empty, or that they’re just going through the religious motions, so why bother?

Is there any chance that some of this could be relevant to you, or to us as church family?

It definitely feels relevant for me. And it’s clear from this passage that this isn’t a minor issue. This is not offered like a small point for improvement: “Hey, just so you know, you’d be a better more faithful Christian or a better church if you just did a little more X…” No. The message is “repent”!

Recognize your error and change course now. If you don’t change your ways I will remove your lampstand from its place. The lampstands represent churches, so that was a warning that it will be the end of their church if the Ephesians did not return to their first love. There’s no good future without getting this right – just a dead faith, or a dead church.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise if we know our Bibles even a little. When asked what the most important commandment of the Law was, how did Jesus summarize what people should do if they want to truly please God? Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

That’s what Jesus said was most important. But what do you suppose churchgoing people here in Halifax would list as the most important things they look for in a church? The music? Preaching? Kids programs? People like me to socialize with? Serving the community well? What would your list look like?

To be fair, deep devotion is hard to measure. I can see whether or not a church has a Sunday school or a choir. I have to get to know them much better to learn how deep their love for Jesus goes.

I can measure the number of times I come to Sunday services or the number of hours I spend serving in a church. It’s harder to measure the true attitude and motivations behind these things.

I also think this is the cause of the most bitter and angry disputes that Christians have over beliefs and doctrines and church preferences – these arguments and fights give people a place to direct the energy and passion that they no longer give to Jesus in praise and gratitude as they should. If they hadn’t forsaken the love they had at first they would have better things to do than fight with their brothers and sisters.

Application

So what could or should we do with this? How then shall we live?

Maybe you didn’t need to hear this because you are overflowing with love for God more than ever before, or you’re as passionate about your faith as you have ever been. If that’s the case, fantastic – fan that flame, because it encourages us all.

But maybe you could stand to hear these words from our Savior today, because you recognize that you are kind of going through the motions in faith.

Or you’re just exhausted living in this busy, distracting, overloaded world and it doesn’t seem like you’re finding God in the chaos of it all.

Or you’ve absorbed a lot of doubt and pessimism from the world around you and it’s made it harder to give yourself to Jesus.

This message is for people who still care, people who are still trying to go good things, but have lost the heart of it all along the way. And here’s what we’re told to do:

Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

I think these can be understood individually and corporately. Let’s start with personally.

Consider how far you have fallen asks you to remember your journey of faith. What were the high points? When did you have the most passion and joy? When did you want to know more and more about who God was, and maybe let other people know that He is good?

People come to faith through different paths. Some are sudden and dramatic, others are more gradual. Sometimes heart follows head, and sometimes it’s he other way around. But at the point that you truly believed that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, knew you, loved you, gave His life for you, and has granted you abundant and eternal life – that had to spark something!

Usually that leads to things like wanting to read the Bible to discover more about who God is and learn how to live in a way that pleases Him. Usually that leads to things like being excited to use your gifts and abilities to serve rather than hoping nobody will ask you to do something. Usually that leads to things like praying often without needing to be prompted or reminded. Usually that leads to feelings of joy and well-being and a desire to be gracious and compassionate to others. Did you have some of that? Do you still have some of that? Consider how far you have fallen.

Then repent and do the things you did at first. Repent basically means “correct your course” – turn from what’s wrong or what’s not working and do the right things. And the right things here are “the things you did at first.”

And I appreciate the way this is worded, because we’re not told to feel the way we felt at first. You can’t force faith to feel new twenty or forty or sixty years later. You can’t force yourself to feel wonder at learning about God or discovering the relevance and wisdom of the Bible like it’s the first time. But we’re not told we have to feel the way we did at first. We’re told to do the things we did at first.

Did you sing and praise at lot? Do that some more! Did you dig into your Bible regularly? Get back at it! Did you pray a lot through the day? Do that more! Did you ponder or mediate on the things of God in your spare moments? Do that more! Did you serve in a particular way that you were proud of? What can you do now? Repent and do the things you did at first.

When I was first dating Amy, I didn’t need to be reminded to call her or make plans to see her. That was the number one thing I wanted to do! We would talk until two or three in the morning some nights on the weekends as I walked through the parking garage at Scotia Square working security. I had unlimited minutes for my cell phone after midnight! And if we couldn’t get together on a particular week or weekend that was a huge disappointment.

Obviously we still talk a lot, but a lot of it is related to the logistics of running our life and coordinating our responsibilities. So we have to make pretty careful plans to go out and do something or spend time that’s just about being together. And those things don’t usually feel the same as they did early on. But they’re still important, they still matter, and it’s still a good thing when we get to do them. Keep doing those things you did at first!

This message is directed at a community, so it’s also worth thinking about it corporately as well. What does the work of the wider church look like when it’s members are living with a deep devotion to Jesus – when they care most of all about their first love?

If I asked you to think of someone in our church who seems like they are acting out of love for Jesus, not duty or habit, who comes to mind? What do you think makes them different? How do you think we, as a community, could be more like them in our worship, in the ways we walk and talk with each other, or in the ways we use our time and resources?

As a church we’re really entering our second post-COVID year now. Last September was when we first worked at reviving our ministries back in action after COVID restrictions were largely over. We worked on bringing back some of the ministries we had not been able to carry on through the pandemic, but we also started looking ahead to what our church could and should be in the current state of the world. As I get myself back up to speed after summer vacation I’m excited to see how we can start a few new things and align some of what we are already doing with these priorities of connecting with God, each other, and our community.

I believe God will do some beautiful things in our midst. But as we take these first steps into this new season let’s get ourselves on the right path. Personally, and as a church, we need to be true to our first love. If deep devotion to Jesus is not our reason for what we do and the power behind it, our faith won’t grow. It might even die under the weight of the fruitless effort to please God without doing the things we did at first out of love for Him.

But, let’s also take heart that these words of correction come with a good promise, too.

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

More symbolism that goes right back to Genesis show up here, reminding us of God’s saving grace. When we come to God in love – not legalistic obedience or doctrinal agreement – we have the wonderful assurance of His presence, not just now, but into a good future that will never end.

If our joy in that has grown dull, if our faith in that has gone cold, then let’s not do anything else until we head the words of our Savior: “Repent and do the things you did at first.”

Prayer