Your First Love
*Revelation 2:1-7 [Take a moment and read this passage.]
Observations from the Structure of this Passage:
In this first brief letter to the churches of Asian Minor (beginning with “the church in Ephesus”), Jesus highlights their hard work and commitment to excellence. “I know,” He says, “I know.” (vv2-3) With seven statements and examples, Jesus lists all they have done, are doing, and have endured, for Him.
All of these seemingly encouraging statements sound very different when Jesus gets to His concern: “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” (4)
In other words, the list of their accomplishments now sounds like a list of problems, once we learn that they weren’t doing it out of love for Jesus.
Emphasis
The passage ends with a warning to the Ephesian church, and an invitation to us, to consider that though we do good and difficult things (vv2-3), we can still be guilty of letting our hearts drift from love for Christ (v4).
Argument of Revelation 21:9-20:5
Good work is good to work hard at, but our love for Christ matters most.
Of course, we all understand this. But when it’s applied to us personally, we’re astonished. “What?! You think I don’t love you?! Why do you think I’m doing all this stuff?! Do you think I’m doing it for myself?!”
I mean, sometimes, yeah.
We’ve all had the experience of ourselves, or someone we love, working really hard… only to realize, We’re not actually doing it out of love! We’re doing it for some other reason.
This is clear when we see it in others, but it’s shocking when directed at us: We can be doing good work in Jesus’ Name, but not being doing it out of love for Him.
Your relationship with Christ matters far more than your work for Christ.
Good News
This passage highlights something beautiful: the Gospel is not about our works or effort. It’s about our relationship with Jesus.
Similarly, a life changed by the Gospel is not the effect of our work, toil, and endurance. It’s the effect of our hearts growing in love for Him and then growing in faith and obedience.
The order is critically important.
That order is part of the Good News—it’s not what we’ve done or do that matters most, but what He has done and is doing.
Your relationship with Christ matters far more than your work for Christ.
Application
“He who has an ear, let him hear…” (7)
This passage invites all who know Jesus to pause for a moment and consider the nature of their relationship with Him. Is it mutual love?
It’s a tricky thing to reflect on. For example, it’d be natural to think, “Of course I love Him, look at all I’m doing for Him!” But then, isn’t that precisely what the Ephesian church was saying to themselves?
Instead, ask yourself whether your relationship with Jesus is mostly about what He has done and is doing for you, or mostly about what you’ve done and are doing for Him?
Does this relationship feel mostly like gratitude and trust, or like obligation and effort?
The good news of Jesus’ invitation is clear: He wants to have the loving relationship with us that we had at the first. Remember that, remember His desire for your love, and return to Him.
Prayer
LORD Jesus Christ, help me to hear the message of Your invitation. You know I’m trying to please You, honor You. I’m working hard and trying to endure. You surely know all this, and see it, yet You want me to know and see something still more necessary—You love me and want me to know Your love and want me to love You in return.
What is our relationship, Jesus? What’s it like, for me? What’s it like, for You? [pause]
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me… Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash