Part 1: Ephesus – The "Right" Church with the Wrong Heart

Scripture: Revelation 2:1–7

If there was a church today that looked like Ephesus, we’d all be trying to move our memberships there.

These people were the Navy SEALs of the early church. They were hard workers. They were patient. They had zero tolerance for bad theology. When a false teacher walked into Ephesus, he didn't last five minutes. They were the watchdogs of orthodoxy. And Jesus says that's good.

But Jesus walks into their midst and, after giving them a pat on the back for those things, He drops a bombshell that should make every one of us tremble: “You have abandoned the love you had at first.”

The Grime of Routine

The Ephesians were doing all the right things, but they were doing them on autopilot. They had become "theological machines." They defended the Truth, but they had lost their affection for the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Think about a marriage that’s hitting the 20-year mark. On paper, it’s perfect. The bills are paid, they never fight in public, they go to dinner every Friday. But there’s no fire. No passion. No "I can’t wait to see you" text during the day. They are "staying together for the kids" or out of habit.

That was Ephesus. They were "staying with Jesus" out of duty, but the "romance" was dead. Walking out life with Him as the center piece had fallen to the way side.

Real Life: The "Pharisee" in the Mirror

If we're honest we see this all the time in our circles. We get so wrapped up in being "Biblically accurate" that we become jerks.

I knew a guy—we’ll call him "Dave". Dave could win any argument about doctrine - the nature of the Trinity, eschatology or the errors of the latest popular worship song. But Dave was the most miserable person in the foyer. He was suspicious of everyone. He used the Bible as a hammer to crack skulls instead of a lamp to guide feet.

Dave had what I'll call "Ephesus Syndrome." He loved the argument for God more than he loved the God of the argument. And church listen to this, if we are winning the culture war but losing our capacity to love our neighbor—or especially our Savior—we aren't winning at all. We’re just becoming noisy gongs. (1 Corinthians 13:1)

The Call Up: The Way Home

You know I don't want to just rag on us. I want us to look to resolution of these challenges. And Jesus doesn't just diagnose the problem in Ephesus; He gives the cure. He tells them to Remember, Repent, and Redo.

1. Remember: Go back to the day you first realized you were a sinner saved by grace. Remember the tears? Remember the awe? How sweet the worship? How you deeply enjoyed reading God's Word?

2. Repent: Turn around. Stop thinking your "busyness" for God is a substitute for "being" with God. Go back to some of the simpler, more important things. Like the Story in Luke 10:38-42

   Jesus visits Martha and Mary's home.

   Martha is "distracted by all the preparations" for the meal, feeling overwhelmed and asking Jesus to tell Mary to help.

   Mary sits at Jesus' feet, just listening to him teach. Admiring the fact that God incarnate

   Jesus' Response: He gently tells Martha, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her"

3. Redo: Do the "first works." Go back to the simple stuff—prayer that isn't a shopping list, worship that isn't a performance, and service that doesn't need a "thank you."

The Warning

Jesus says if they don't fix this, He’s going to "remove their lampstand." That is terrifying. It means a church can keep its doors open, keep its music playing, and keep its sermons going, but the presence of God has left the building.

I’m calling us up today. Let’s stop being "right" and start being "righteous"—which includes loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Don't let your theology get in the way of your intimacy. Rather, let theology and doctrine build more intimacy with God.

Next Step: I want you to look at your calendar this week. How much of your "Christian life" is just tasks, and how much is actual time spent loving Jesus? Ask Him to give you that "first love" fire back today.