Home Bible Study Guide Passage: Revelation 2:1–7 (The Loveless Church)

Main Idea: Jesus lovingly calls His church to remember their first love for Him, repent from cold-hearted religion, and return to joyful, Christ-centered devotion.

Opening Reflection: "What is something you used to be deeply passionate about but slowly drifted from over time?"

Read Aloud: (Ask someone from the group to read the passage.)

Revelation 2:1–7 ““To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: This is what the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot bear with those who are evil, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, you also have not grown weary. ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first. But if not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent. ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’”

Pray:

Discussion Questions:

What do you notice about how Jesus introduces Himself in verse 1?

(He walks among the churches; He knows them personally.) “I know your deeds and your toil” - our works in not in vain, even if others don’t see it, or we don’t get any recognition, it’s comforting to know that the God of the universe, the God who came here on earth to die for us knows our works,

What is Jesus affirming about the church in Ephesus?

(The church in Ephesus was theologically sound, morally serious, and spiritually resilient. They worked hard, defended truth, and kept going despite weariness—all out of loyalty to Jesus.)

“Your toil” (Greek: kopos) This word implies labor to the point of exhaustion. The Ephesian church worked hard in service—likely in teaching, discipling, guarding doctrine, and loving their community.

“Patient endurance” They didn’t give up easily. Despite trials or possibly persecution, they kept going in faith. Their perseverance shows a deep commitment to Christ’s name.

“You cannot bear with those who are evil” They were discerning and committed to holiness. They did not tolerate immoral or corrupt influences within the church.

“Tested those who call themselves apostles and are not” They were doctrinally sharp. They didn’t just accept any leader’s teaching—they examined it against the truth and exposed false apostles. (They know their bible)

“Bearing up for my name’s sake… not grown weary” Their motivation is to honor the name of Jesus. They remained faithful for the sake of Christ’s name.

What is His main concern in verse 4?

(They have forsaken their first love.) Their hands were busy, but their hearts were drifting( performance, obligation, or even pride in being “right.”). Jesus is saying: “I care about what you believe and how you live—but I also care about why you do it. I want your heart, not just your effort.” It’s possible to serve Jesus without delighting in Him. (Paul affirms their love in his letter, but in John, it’s the main concern since they no longer operate the way that they should.)

What does "first love" mean in your experience with God?

(Explore early devotion, passion, personal relationship.)

What does Jesus command them to do in response (v.5)?

(Remember, repent, return to what they did at first.)

Remember: Jesus is calling them to look back to what their love used to be like.

Remember the joy when you first understood the Gospel—when grace felt amazing.

Remember the delight of just being with Christ—before ministry, service, and theology became a checklist.

Remember how naturally love flowed toward Christ and others. This remembering isn’t for nostalgia. It’s to rekindle a sense of how far the heart has drifted—not from doctrine or morality, but from intimacy with Jesus.

Repent - Repent from loving ministry, theology, or even morality more than the Person of Jesus

Return – Do the works you did at first

Ask yourself:

What did your life look like when Christ was your treasure?

How did you speak with Him in prayer?

How did Scripture feed your soul, not just your sermon?

How did you talk about Him to others—not out of obligation, but because you couldn’t help it?

Returning to these things helps reignite love, because love is often revived not just through feeling, but through faithful action.

What does the warning about removing the lampstand mean?

(Loss of witness or influence as a local church.) So the lampstand symbolizes the church’s presence and witness in the world. Just as a lampstand holds up a light to shine in the darkness, each local church is meant to hold up the light of Christ in its community.

Sobering Historical Note: Interestingly, the church in Ephesus eventually did fade. Today, there is no vibrant Christian community in Ephesus, despite its rich biblical history. The warning appears to have been fulfilled.

JRemoving the lampstand is Jesus saying: “If you lose Me, you lose everything. Your church may still run, but I won’t be in the midst of it.”

How does verse 7 give hope to those who overcome?

(Eternal life with God, paradise restored.)

Gospel Emphasis: Repentance is not just for unbelievers, it’s for Christians as well. But we need to remind ourselves of the Gospel. Kung ano yung ginawa ni Jesus. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Jesus does not call us back to rules, but to Himself (intimacy). The invitation is to come back to the joy and intimacy of knowing Him.

Prayer: