First Love - Jesus

Jesus in this miraculous vision given to John is telling John what to write down.

 

In the vision, Jesus is has seven stars in His right hand and is standing in the middle of seven candlesticks. We are told by Jesus that the stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks are the seven churches.

 

Jesus is at the center of the perfect church, of this there can be no doubt whatsoever. These followers of Christ- for that is what a church is made up of- Christ followers- they need the messages Christ has for them. The angel of the church is a messenger, angels are messengers, and they are to take messages of Christ written to them, and give them to their churches. Christ did not give these messages for private use- all are to read, to understand, and to keep the things written in this book. These messengers have an obligation to give the message to those in need of it. To the very first of the churches in this seven church structure they need the following message and in turn- WE NEED THIS MESSAGE, and throughout time this message would be needed and pertinent. The multi-use of the message is not something strange at all. So much of God's entire written word to us has messages for the present when they were written and throughout the future. God's word is something powerful and as such we don't dare try to constrain it by our limited comprehension.

 

*

 

Rev 2:1  Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 

 

Jesus tells them that HE knows their works, their labor, their patience. Jesus knows they hate evil. Jesus knows that they try those who claim to be important Christ followers and because they try(test) them they realize they are not true important followers of Christ, but liars.  Jesus tells them that He knows of their patience and their work they do for Him, and their not fainting as they work.  Jesus knows all the good things they do for Him as being His followers. Recognizing the good from this church Jesus is giving them praise for their efforts but He can't stop there at the praise to do so would be to risk the church failing by not recognizing its own peril.

 

Rev 2:2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 

Rev 2:3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 

 

Jesus has some issue with His followers, they have left their first love. They have lost sight of their first love. Their first love being- Christ crucified and risen, the salvation offered by grace through Christ's sacrifice- this is the first love of all Christ followers.

 

Rev 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 

 

Jesus wants these followers to remember where they were in their relationship with Him and He wants them to repent. He wants them to comprehend their wrong path and give that up. He wants them to do as they did in the beginning of their following Him.  If they don't do this, if they don't repent and return to their origins then He will have no choice but to quickly go to them and keep this church as being His, it would no longer be a church of Christ's unless they repent.

 

Yes, they hate the actions of those who are known to be hated by true Christ followers, and this is a good thing, but it doesn't mean they don't need to repent. Christ hates the deeds of the ones called Nicolaitans and from what can be garnered through the Bible and historical writings, the Nicolaitans were a false Christ following group that held pagan practices that God has forever despised.

 

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 

Rev 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 

 

Jesus wants these that follow Him to remember Him as they first came to Him, and to repent of their turning from their beginning ways, their first love of Him. If they listen, if they repent and return to their first love of Him they will overcome and in overcoming they will be allowed to eat of the tree of life which is in the middle of God's paradise.

 

Rev 2:7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 

 

Truly this message is applicable for all who come to Christ.

 

Even now so many people start out following Christ only to start to follow the paths of others makings, not Christ's. So many leave their first love of Christ and fall in love with the ways of man. So many hate the deeds of those who are known Christ haters, God despisers, and even hate the deeds if they are known as blatantly contradictory to God's words though the professors of these deeds are supposed Christ followers. Yet, so many refuse to overcome, refuse to repent of their ways and return to Christ, and Christ only.

 

May we who read this message to the church, today, repent of all that would keep us from our first love, Christ. Let Him be first, before all others in all things in our lives, let Him be first. Don't let a single other human being, don't let a single other practice instituted by man and not fully sanctioned by Christ to keep us from Him, repent, turn away from all things that would keep us from Christ, all things! Please, Lord Jesus, we repent! We need You as our first love, not and forever!!!!!!! Please forgive our wandering ways, forgive our arrogance, forgive our trying to substitute Your ways with ours, forgive us for being seduced away to love others that are mere imitations of You and Your love! Save us, Lord Jesus, save us!  Thank you!!!!!!! Thank you!

 

All glory, honor and praise to You, Lord now and always!!!!!!!