Have you left your first love?

The Peril of Growing Weary

"You have left your first love." Rev. 2:4 

The year was 1964, the St. Louis Cardinals were World Series Champions and the Boston Celtics were on top of the basketball world after claiming their sixth straight title. Lyndon Johnson was President, Ronald Reagan was still an actor, and a gallon of gas would only set you back $0.30. In December, of that year, the Righteous Brothers recorded a number one hit entitled, "You've lost that loving feeling." Two thousand years before those words were recorded on a soundtrack they were written in a letter addressed to a primitive church in the city of Ephesus. The words came from the mouth of the Lord Jesus and were dictated by the hand of the exiled Apostle John. In that letter, our Lord issued a stinging indictment against the church in Ephesus for, "leaving its first love." Why was such a woeful indictment given to this church? To adequately understand the answer to this question, we must first explore the historical context of the church to whom the Lord issued  His reproach.  

The Church at Ephesus was established by the Apostle Paul around 50 A.D. He spent about three years of his life ministering and equipping the saints there. Much of what can be deduced about this church comes to us by way of Paul's letter to them, which was written while he was in a Roman prison. The approximate date that is often provided for the writing of this letter is around 60-62 A.D. A cursory reading of the book of Ephesians yields no obvious doctrinal errors of moral failures. The clear indication is that as late as 62 A.D. the Church at Ephesus was holding firm and persevering in the face of opposition. Unfortunately, by the writing of the book of Revelation (circa. 95 A.D.) this church had already begun to grow weary in its resolve. Sound familiar? The Church at Ephesus stands as a stark warning for all lest they grow weary and complacent. A good beginning doesn't guarantee a good ending. The Church at Ephesus had clearly moved from its foundation and found itself in the cross hairs of the Lord's rebuke. If we are not careful, we can grow weary and drift from our foundation. How are we to guard against this danger? The answer is simple and of course Biblical. We must remain fervent in our determination and faithful in our discipline. Paul said that we are to, "discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7). It has been said that discipline is what we need most but desire the least. Remaining fervent in our devotion to Christ is hard work. It is a rewarding endeavor that requires constant attention. If we become apathetic and complacent along the journey we will eventually succumb to temptation and fall into sin. We must remain determined, devoted, and disciplined in our walk with Christ lest we find ourselves as recipients of His rebuke. Have you left your first love? Repent, and be reconciled unto the Lord.