Revelation Letters: Ephesus

Revelation Letters: Ephesus

Bible Blast: Read Revelation 2:1-7

I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Revelation 2:4

The second and third chapters of the book of Revelation are made up of letters Jesus has written to seven specific churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These letters contain encouragements and challenges for the people of those churches, but there is a lot we can learn from them too. These next seven days, we’ll go through those letters together!

We’ll begin with the letter to the church in Ephesus. If that word makes you think about the book of Ephesians, you’re on the right track. Paul wrote the book of Ephesians to the church of Ephesus, so there are at least two letters in the Bible written specifically for the people who lived in Ephesus.

In the Revelation letter, Jesus tells the believers in Ephesus that they are great at rejecting evil things and evil people. They know how to tell the difference between the truth and lies. They are faithful and work really hard, but their love for him and for each other has fizzled out. This was a big deal because in Ephesians 1:15-16, Paul pointed out that the church of Ephesus was known for its great love for others. He said, “Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you.” Somewhere along the way the Ephesians got weak in their love for others and the Lord.

When someone first becomes a Christian, she might be really excited about God and want the whole world to know about salvation through Jesus Christ. Her “first love” for God and people is a bright flame. As time goes on and other distractions come along, it can be easy to focus more on doing than on loving. That flame of first love turns into a tiny ember.

In your walk with God, if you have times where things feel complicated or really busy, remember to get back to the basics of your faith found in Matthew 22:37, 39: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Girl Gab: Take a moment to evaluate how well you show love to people around you. Specifically, do you tend to love others more than you pick on others’ behavior? It’s easy to look at a teenaged girl and see that maybe she is dressed immodestly, but it is a lot harder to overlook that and love her. Pick one person who you have judged more than you have loved. Decide on a specific expression of love for that person that you can put into action together this week.