Let Us Continually Love Jesus as Usual – Revelation 2:1-5

The beginning of a new year is a time when many people set resolutions for themselves with a refreshed determination to do something differently this time around. As a church, what is the best spiritual resolution we can make for this fresh year? As we look into Revelation 2:1-5, we can learn what is not only the best resolution for the church, but what is an absolute necessity of the church. It is not something new or strange, but it is a reality in the lives of those who are truly born again. We must love Jesus Christ every day.

In Revelation, God uses John the Apostle to send letters to the seven churches in Asia. The first church that God addresses is the church in Ephesus (Rev 2:1-5). In the letter, God acknowledges the Ephesians’ sound doctrine and steadfastness. However, He confronts their lack of love, and warns them of the dire consequences if they don’t repent. Although we can not say for sure why God addresses the Ephesians first, we can speculate that it may be because love for Christ is the most important, most fundamental element of the church. Jesus is God Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega. (Rev 1:8) Everything exists by Him, and for Him. He is worthy to be love above anything else.

What was going on in the Ephesian church? The Ephesians were champions of sound doctrine, which is a noble thing to be. In today’s relativistic society, the church should strive to be like the Ephesians in this way. They were loyal to the teachings they received from the apostles, and they were zealous enough to expose what was false and evil. They endured through persecution as they kept and defended the faith. But despite all this, God was at enmity with them. Why? The Ephesians left their first love. Although they were steadfast in sound doctrine and faith, they did it without love. People can do a lot of work without love, but God will not count any thing if it is without love. Although the church of Ephesians was full of love in the beginning, they abandoned their love for Christ. (Eph 1:15; 3:17-19) As a church, we want to be resolved to love Christ because without love, we are nothing.

What does love for Jesus look like? Love for Jesus is deep, foundational, and transformative, as you treasure Him above all things, and therefore do what He says. It is costly and sacrificial. Apostle Paul loved Jesus, and it resulted in his absolute commitment to Him. He was willing to give up his life for the sake of Christ. (Phil 3:7-8) Jesus stated that loving God was the greatest commandment. It is the goal of all our instruction and learning. (1Tim 1:5-7) Unless we love Christ, nothing we do as Christians counts for anything. (1Cor 13:1-3) It is by love that we abide in Christ and bear fruit. If our work is not motivated by love, we become cold and mechanical legalists.

What is the first love?

In God’s letter to the Ephesians, He commands three things to do to restore the first love. As Christians, we must remember our salvation. As you remember how you first became a Christian, you will realize that you are wrong to not love Christ. We must then repent, which involves both our hearts and minds. We must then return, and recommit ourselves to God to bear the fruit of repentance. Jesus warns the Ephesians- and us- of what will happen if we do not remember, repent, and return: the church will lose its testimony of the gospel when it does not love Christ. Let us therefore heed Jesus’ warning and be resolved to love the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength in this new year.