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A word from our Pastor…       (note: This was published in the Tribune on March 17th, 2012)

“There Is Still Hope For The Church”

In Revelation 2:1-8, the Apostle John is given a message from Jesus for the church at Ephesus, a major city in Asia.This city was known as the ‘gateway to Asia’ because of its location on the Cayster river, providing the largest harbor in Asia Minor.Four trade routes went through Ephesus as well.In terms of location, this was the ideal place for a church.

The apostle Paul had ministered there for three years, as had other great men of God.Men like Timothy, Tychicus and even the Apostle John had served the Ephesian church.In fact, John was there when he was arrested and banished to the island of Patmos where he now received this message from the Lord.In terms of leadership, this church had known the best.

Jesus had many words of commendation for the church, noting seven things about their ministry over the past four decades. He praised them for the good works they had done, their efforts, patience and endurance.He praised their doctrinal and moral purity, as seen in their refusal to tolerate evil of any kind, their exposure of false teachers, and their hatred for the actions of a group called the Nicolaitans, who practiced self-indulgence.In terms of past history, this church had much of which to be proud.

In verse 4 Jesus declares that despite all these positives, there is one glaring negative that wipes out all the good they had done.They had ‘left their first love’.They had abandoned that which made them ‘church’, their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.Their eyes and heart were no longer focused on Jesus, even though they talked a lot about Jesus.Love for Him and communication with Him had been forgotten even as they focused on good and important things, even issues of doctrinal purity.How many churches today are guilty of this same cancerous error?How sad it is to realize how much energy and how many dollars are spent in the name of Christ while He is shoved to the side and ignored.Jesus says to them “I hold this against you”.Something radical needs to be done to correct this fatal error.Left uncorrected, He declares their witness as His church will be removed.

Jesus instructed the Church at Ephesus in verse 5 to do three things to correct the situation and avoid being removed from their role as church.First, they were to remember what their relationship with Christ used to be, intimate, personal and all-important.Second, they were to repent.To repent means to do a complete about face, rejecting the former direction as sinful and completely unacceptable to God.Repentance is a full 180 degree turnaround, driving them right back to the Jesus they had abandoned.Third, Jesus tells them to start doing the things they did when they first came to know Him.

What was needed in Ephesus is needed today by you and me, by your church and mine.We need to remember the love and forgiveness we felt when we first came to know God through receiving Christ as Savior.We need to repent of our sin of pushing Jesus to the side in our often well-intentioned religious pursuits.We need to renew the disciplines that were so natural and necessary in those early days, talking with Jesus, talking about Jesus, being with others who know Jesus and seeking to obey everything Jesus tells us to do and be.

There was still hope for the church at Ephesus if they would repent and there is still hope for us if we too will remember, repent and renew our dedication to Jesus.