A Church That Loves

The Things a Church Can Do and Still Not Love

Revelation 2:1–3 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. “ ‘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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.

Revelation 2:1–5 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. “ ‘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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 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.

Revelation 2:1–3 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. “ ‘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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.

Rev

They worked hard

They were diligent workers for Christ

They worked hard for Christ

They endured

They didn’t tolerate evil

They evaluated teaching

Revelation 2:6 ESV

Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

It was the practices of the Nicolaitans that they hated not the people. They hadn’t lost their love for the truth.

They Witnessed Boldly

Enduring Patiently (mentioned twice)

Colossians 1:11 ESV

being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;

Bearing Up for Christ’s Name

Carrying the cause, not afraid to champion the cause. To testify boldly

Not Growing Weary

They Abandoned Their First Love

Revelation 2:4 ESV

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

Having Jesus against you

English Standard Version Chapter 2

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.

Revelation 2:5b ESV

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.

The way it is structured implies all love

A love for each other

A Love for Christ

A love for the world

They hadn’t lost their love for the truth

How Do we Keep Our First Love?

rev 2:5

Revelation 2:5 ESV

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.

Remember

Keep on remembering

Remember the love of Christ

Remember the forgiveness

When we understand our own forgiveness we can forgive and love others

The language implies that it should never be forgotten, when we forget how we felt the day we discovered Christ we risk losing our ability to love. Christ is the example of perfect love. Sacrifice, forgiveness, are things we must be reminded of.

Repent

This one is more difficult since we don’t usually think about repenting or turning away from something that we are not doing

Return

To the things you did at first.

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