Letter to the churches: The First Church Ephesus.

Ephesus – Passion for Christ;

Given a choice, almost everyone wanted to live in Ephesus. Put it in today’s language it was the place to be seen. Ephesus had wealth, power, influence, and a good time. Ephesus had it all, it also had a church, which was a good church, it was also an active church. This is a church you would be happy to be a member of. Jesus commends the church for four things.Revelation 2 verses 1 to 7:

1. Was their activity: V 2 “I know your works, your labor and your endurance.”

2. Was their purity: V 2 “I know that you cannot tolerate evil.”

3. Was their loyalty to Jesus: V 3; “You also possess endurance and have tolerated many things because of my name.”

4. Was their consistency; V 3: ” And have not grown weary.”

If you were in the Ephesian way of doing church, you would find plenty of people involved in ministry. The church goers were not looking to be entertained; they were right in the action of touching lives.

When people were out of line they confronted them in humility and Grace. They like to restore people lives to holiness, holiness bring s about obedience to God’s ways. {God’s ways are always the best because He always has the best for us}

The Ephesian way loved to study God’s word and loved sound bible teaching. The put teachers who came to them, to the test to see if the taught sound doctrine.

The Ephesian Church had held firm under persecution. Instead of wiping them out opposition from the world made the church stronger. Sound like a great church to be in.

But there is a But: V 4: “But I have this against you, you have abandoned the love you had at first.” The Ephesian Church of the day and the Ephesian style churches of today, when Jesus looks at the way they operate he sees the church falling out of love with Him. Their hearts are are not the same as when they first come to Jesus. The Fire they once had of pure devotion to Christ Jesus is waning, and Jesus is concerned. Jesus hold this against them.

The Ephesian church receives two commands. {Revelation 2 verse 5}

!. They must consider how far they have fallen. 2. They must repent.

The Letter to Ephesus ends with V7″ “Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The message is saying that if anyone understands the real meaning of what he or she hears, then they must respond

The final point Jesus brings to their attention as well as ours is ” The One who overcomes by listening to the Word of God. V 7 “I will give the victor the right to eat from the tree of life which is in , the paradise of God.”  they  will have a great eternity in the presence of God.

There are seven churches mentioned in Revelation, to try to understand them all in one study would not do them justice

While revelation is apocalyptic in nature, it is important to remember, like any New Testament book , it serves to reveal Jesus to us. We should never get caught up in the process of just doing, we should more importantly focus on who Jesus is and who we are in Him in The light of that Revelation.

I hope you enjoyed this commentary on the first church mentioned in the letters to the seven churches of Revelation. Six more to go all revealing How we can live better and serve and be a witness for our Lord and friend better.

God Bless.

O F J.