The Ephesian Disease

Revelation 2:1-7 Surprisingly, Revelation has much to say about renewing the church. One could say the shape of the book is like this: Chapters 4-22 tell us Jesus is coming back to judge the living and the dead and restore all things. Chapters 1-3 tell us that, until then, we’re to strive for healthy churches.  In Revelation 2-3, Jesus speaks to 7 of his churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), diagnoses their diseases, and prescribes how they can recover.  The first letter, which we dive into in this sermon, is to the church at Ephesus. They had heart disease. Their mind was sharp, and their hands were strong, but their heart wasn’t in it. They had “left the love they had at first.”  We have all been there, haven’t we? When Jesus shows up at our house, and instead of being Mary and sitting at his feet, we get busy in the kitchen with Martha and miss out on what’s most important.  We do this individually, but we also do this corporately. Our entire church can be infected at the same time. So what do we do?  “Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” Doctors orders.  I’d say that means at least these 2 things; Reconnect with our stories of grace.  Re-engage the behaviors of our former selves when we were much closer to Jesus.  Some good news we’ll discover along the way is that though we leave our first love, Jesus never leaves his. He’s always ready and willing to have us back.