Have you ever noticed how challenging it can be to maintain enthusiasm and love in a long-term relationship? Whether it’s marriage, friendship, or even our relationship with God, the initial passion we once felt can fade over time.
Life happens – hardships, unanswered questions, and the daily grind can wear down our love, leaving us distant and disconnected.
In Revelation 2:1-4, Jesus addresses this very issue with the church in Ephesus. He acknowledges their hard work, endurance, and discernment, but then He delivers a sobering truth: they have abandoned the love they had at first.
This message is as relevant today as it was then. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and take steps to rekindle our love for God.
1. Remember from Where You Have Fallen
Jesus begins by urging the Ephesians to "remember from where you have fallen" (Revelation 2:5a). The Greek word for "fallen," peptokas, means both to slip and fall or to drift away gradually. This implies that the Ephesians had once enjoyed a close, intimate relationship with God, but they allowed their love to wane over time. Jesus calls them to reflect on the heights from which they had fallen – to remember the closeness they once had with Him.
Why is this so important? Because acknowledging where we once were helps us recognize how far we’ve drifted and understand the need to return.
Reflection is the first step toward rekindling our passion for God. It’s about remembering the moments when our love for Him was most vibrant and letting that memory stir our hearts to action.
2. Resolve to Repent
After remembering where they had fallen, Jesus instructed the Ephesians to repent. The Greek word for repentance, metanoia, involves a complete change of mind and direction.
Repentance is more than just feeling sorry for our mistakes; it’s about making a deliberate decision to turn away from whatever has caused the drift and to realign ourselves with God.
Acts 3:19 encourages us to "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." True repentance brings about a refreshing and renewing of our relationship with God. It’s an invitation to start anew, leaving behind the attitudes and actions that have pulled us away from Him.
3. Repeat the First Works
Finally, Jesus calls the Ephesians to "do the works you did at first" (Revelation 2:5c). This step involves returning to the actions and behaviors that naturally flowed from their first love. When they first came to faith, their love for Christ was evident in their good works, fervent worship, and willingness to endure hardship for His sake.
Hebrews 10:32-34 reminds us of the zeal we had in the early days of our faith when we were willing to endure hardships and make sacrifices out of our love for Christ. Jesus is asking us to return to those "first works" – to reignite the passion and devotion that characterized our early walk with Him.
The Warning and the Promise
Jesus doesn’t just leave us with instructions – He also provides a warning and a promise. He warns that if there is no remembering, repenting, and repeating, He will "remove your lampstand from its place" (Revelation 2:5d).
This symbolizes the loss of our witness and effectiveness as believers. However, for those who overcome, He promises the reward of eating from the tree of life in the paradise of God (Revelation 2:7). This promise is echoed in 1 John 5:4-5, which assures us that our faith in Jesus enables us to overcome the world.
The message to the church in Ephesus is a call to action for all of us. It’s a reminder that our relationship with God requires ongoing attention and care.
If we find that our love for Him has grown cold, we must remember where we have fallen from, resolve to repent, and repeat the works we did at first. By doing so, we can rekindle our passion for Christ and experience the fullness of life that He promises to those who love Him.
About Pastor Bob Moya, DMin.
Pastor Bob Moya has served as the lead pastor with his wife Candace at City Chapel in Arlington, Texas for over 22+ years. He recently graduated with a doctorate degree in Spiritual Renewal and Leadership in the spring of 2024. When not serving at the church, you'll find Bob enjoying a good read at Barnes & Noble, sipping a nitro cold brew or black coffee from Starbucks, or spending time with his family.
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