Random Thought #3

I had the pleasure of hearing Pastor Dave deliver a message at IVCF's large group on Revelation 2:1-6. It was just about a year ago when I had heard the same message at the Gospel for the City, but it's ironic how easily I can forget (hopefully you'll see the irony after I'm done writing). Here's some of what Pastor Dave shared about.

“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. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He 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.’ (Revelation 2: 1-6)

In this passage, God rebukes the church of Ephesus. Of all churches at the time, people would not expect the church of Ephesus to be rebuked, for this was the church that had the "Big Three" leaders--Paul, John, and Timothy. This was the church in which Paul preached the gospel for three straight years. Of all people, how could they not get it yet? Of all people, how could they be the ones that were getting rebuked? As we see, God is not impressed. He says that the Ephesians have forsaken their first love and calls the Ephesians to remember, repent, and return. 

God through the Apostle John explains that He is not impressed by the works of the Ephesians, though they are many and seemingly pure, because the motives behind the deeds are tainted. God can see the motives of the heart and is not pleased. He calls them to remember the joy and love that they should have and have had in the past while serving Him. From there, He asks the Ephesians to repent for how they have turned away from Him, their first love, the one who loves unconditionally. Though His heart breaks every single time we forsake Him, His love is infinite and willing to forgive due to Christ's sacrifice, and so He just asks them to return. To return to what He knows is the best for them, and that is Him.

God calls the Ephesians, whom I relate with, to remember the times in which God was their first love. God calls me to remember the time years ago at Summer Camp when I first understood the Gospel for the first time and couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the night, and to go back to that. That being said, I think the main problem then deals with memory. When I get stuck in a rut, I turn to despair, which is exactly what Satan wants. Satan wants me to despair so that I will forget to look back at how good and faithful God has been to me in the past and how He has delivered me from every rut and desert that seemed unescapable. Satan wants me to forget about the intimate moments I've had with God hoping that one day I might one day forget altogether about God's faithfulness, but would that never be true.

I hope that I will continue to be able to look back and see God's goodness, to repent through the power of the Cross, and to return to first love. I hope that it would be true for you too.