You have left your First Love...

The seven verses of Revelation 2

“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.

2“‘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.
3I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
4But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
5Remember 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.
6Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’


Been attending a bible study by Pastor Darren, verse by verse...

In going back to the simple, in knowing what Jesus wants from the beginning, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, where the scriptures are not lifted to suit our own lust of control or desire... it's not hard to realized that people in the church have deviate from what God really want.


Yet in knowing that, do we get angry? Yes we can, but do we remain angry? And even leave the church because the leaders are not perfect?
It's not for our personal interest, but for God, and for others above ourselves.

You can't say you love God and not love His family, and you can’t really love His family without loving Him first. A family should not be so easily broken and left...
In knowing that, What does God want us to do?

Revelation 2:2-3
I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.

a. I know your works: Jesus looks at His church, and He knows what is going on. It is no mystery to Him. There may be sin or corruption hidden in a congregation, but it isn’t hidden to Jesus.

b. Your works, your labor, your patience: Jesus knows what this church is doing right. They work hard for the Lord and they have godly endurance. Patience is the great ancient Greek word hupomone, which means “steadfast endurance.” In this sense, the church was rock-solid.

c. You cannot bear those who are evil: Paul warned this church in Acts 20:29-31: For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. From this commendation of Jesus, we know that the church took the warning seriously.

d. You have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary: Also, the Ephesian church continued doing these things, without becoming weary. They showed a godly perseverance that we should imitate. By all outward appearances, this was a solid church that worked hard, and had great outreach.

Yet in all these, Jesus has something against this church...

Revelation 2:4
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

a. Nevertheless I have this against you: Jesus begins with a sobering word - nevertheless, which means “despite all that.” Jesus took into full account all the good in this church, yet despite all that, He had something against them.

b. You have left your first love: Despite all the good in the Ephesian church, there is something seriously wrong. They have left - not lost - their first love. They once had a love that they don’t have anymore.

Though they had left their first love, everything looked great on the outside. If you would have attended a service of the church at Ephesus, you might have thought, “This is a happening church. They are doing so much, and they really guard the truth.” At the same time, you might have had a vague, uneasy feeling - yet it would probably be hard to pin down. It wasn’t hard for Jesus to see the problem, even though everything probably looked wonderful on the outside.

The problem was serious. Without love, all is vain. No wonder Jesus said “nevertheless I have this against you.” “A church has no reason for being a church when she has no love within her heart, or when that love grows cold.
Lose love, lose all.”

Though all these things happened, what does God wants the church to do?

Revelation 2:5-6
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place; unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

a. Remember therefore from where you have fallen: The first step in restoration for this church is for them to remember. They need to remember from where they have fallen. This means remembering where they used to be in their love for the Lord and for one another.

When the Prodigal Son was in the pigpen, the first step in restoration was remembering what life was like back in his father’s home (Luke 16:17-19). This is always the first step in getting back to where we should be with the Lord.

b. Repent: This is not a command to feel sorry, or really to feel anything. It means to change your direction, to go a different way. It is an “urgent appeal for instant change of attitude and conduct, before it is too late.” (Robertson)

c. Do the first works: This means that they must go back to the basics, to the very first things they did when you first fell in love with Jesus. These are the things that we never grow beyond.

d. Or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place: Jesus gives them a stern warning. Unless they repent, He will remove their light and His presence. When their lampstand is removed, they may continue as an organization, but no longer as a true church of Jesus Christ. It will be the church of Ichabod, where the glory has departed (1 Samuel 4:21).

e. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate: Jesus - probably so the Ephesians would not be overly discouraged - gives this church another commendation here. They are complimented because they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans.

*The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence.

f. Which I also hate: These are powerful words, in that they come from our Savior who is so rich in love. Whoever exactly the Nicolaitans were, and whatever exactly they did and taught, we learn something from Jesus’ opinion of the. We learn that the God of love hates sin, and wants His people to also hate sin.

Now to all the others individual who needs to hear (yes and it means you)

Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

a. To him who overcomes: Jesus makes this promise to him who overcomes - but what does this overcomer need to overcome? We usually think of overcoming in dramatic terms of overcoming sin and in spiritual warfare, but here Jesus seems to be speaking of the overcoming of the coldness of their hearts and lack of love marked by the leaving of their first love.

b. I will give to eat from the tree of life: The promise for these overcomers is a return to Eden, a restoration, and eternal life. This is meant first in the eternal sense of making it to heaven, which was no small promise to a church that was threatened with the removal of Jesus’ presence. It is also meant in the sense of seeing the effects of the curse rolled back in our own lives though walking in Jesus’ redeeming love.

c. In the midst of the Paradise of God: Originally, the word Paradise meant “a garden of delight.” Eventually, it came to mean “the place where God lives.”
The glory of God will return... Wait.


You know, in all these things written, do you know what happened to this particular church later on?

Apparently this church (Ephsians' Church) heeded this warning. In the early second century (not too long after John wrote), Ignatius praised the love and the doctrinal purity of the Ephesians. “You, who are of the most holy Church of the Ephesians, which is so famous and celebrated throughout the world . . . you, being full of the Holy Spirit, do nothing according to the flesh, but all things according to the Spirit. You are complete in Christ Jesus.” (Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, Chapter 8. From the Ante Nicean Fathers Volume 1, page 52)

From what Ignatius wrote, it seems that this particular church returned to their first love without compromising doctrinal purity. It wasn't easy, but they did it!

It took me quite some reflection to know what God wants me to do. I don't know how you may be feeling now against the church, but it's really not for us to judge. This church is a place of greatness, and it has to be shaken to ensure that it's foundation will be strong. It means that God cares and wants to do something amazing.

Having been to different churches, my church is the place where I never fail to sense the presence of God... That alone should be the reason that anyone should seek for.

Even though leaderships may have done something different or even against what the word of God might have said, but who are we to judge? I told myself God sees all things, and alone He can judge. He meant this church to be a church of great destiny and greatness, though it's only a small dot on the map, and surrounded by Muslim nations.
It's the "Israel" of Asia.

Martin Luther once said this from "God's General" (Book 2) that if he himself needed years to change, why do we expect others to change in a matter of months?

Change takes time, and ultimately I believe my church will be the church that God meant for it to become. We have to trust in God.

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

We can't just blame it on the church and the leadership... There are things we as the individuals have to overcome as well. Running away and leaving is not overcoming. I realized it doesn't solve anything and we'll end up losing what we we are seeking, unless we overcome.

Sometimes we have to learn to swallow our pride...

I know that if we do that, we will "Taste and see that the LORD is good." (Psalm 34:8)
When every single ingredients of the curry is tasted by itself, what a horrible taste you will have (like all the bad things that has happened or what we have done), but when the Chief Chef skilfully blends them together, it becomes one of the nicest and most amazing dish eaten by one of the largest population in the world (Indians), followed by Japanese, the copy-cats who copies whatever is good. (Yes they rank 2nd in eating curry)

That's why we have to stay and learn to overcome... Not for anyone else, but for yourself and for God. Not for anyone else...

You can’t say you love God and not love His family, and you can’t really love His family without loving Him first. Love is never love if we only love in good times.


Finally an exhortation for all of you who may have felt the same...

Psalm 26
[I Will Bless the Lord]
[OF DAVID.]
[26:1] Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
[2] Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
[3] For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.
[4] I do not sit with men of falsehood,
nor do I consort with hypocrites.
[5] I hate the assembly of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.
[6] I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O LORD,
[7] proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
[8] O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
[9] Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
[10] in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
[11] But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
[12] My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.
(Psalm 26 ESV)

Do you remember how you grew here...
His love for you, your love for His people...

Do you still remember the covenent that you had with Him...
That you'll love, because He first loved you...

Do you remember...