Rekindling Our First Love: Lessons from Ephesus

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we celebrated the 25-year partnership between Dublin Baptist Church and Boy Scout Troop 356, recognizing the significant impact this collaboration has had on the lives of many young men. We honored Tom Reynolds, the scoutmaster, for his dedication and sacrifice over the years. This partnership has not only fostered the development of life skills but has also been a testament to living out Christian values in a practical setting.

Transitioning to our study, we delved into the book of Revelation, focusing on the letter to the church at Ephesus. This church was commended for its hard work and doctrinal purity but was admonished for losing its first love. The message to Ephesus serves as a reminder that while maintaining doctrinal integrity is crucial, it should not come at the expense of love and passion for Christ and one another. The church at Ephesus had become so focused on being right that it lost sight of why it was doing what it was doing.

We explored the historical context of Ephesus, a bustling city with diverse cultures and religions, drawing parallels to our own community. The church was praised for its perseverance in the face of external pressures to compromise its beliefs. However, the warning was clear: without love, the church risks becoming a mere religious institution rather than a vibrant community of believers.

The call to the church at Ephesus was to remember, repent, and return to their first love. This involves a conscious decision to change direction, to turn back to Christ, and to rekindle the passion and love that once defined their faith. The promise for those who conquer is the opportunity to eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God, symbolizing eternal fellowship with Him.

As we reflect on this message, we are reminded that the church is not just a building or a set of activities but a community of believers called to be a light in the world. Our purpose is to glorify God, and this requires us to continually examine our hearts, ensuring that our love for Him and for each other remains at the forefront of all we do.

Key Takeaways:

- The partnership with Boy Scout Troop 356 exemplifies how Christian values can be lived out in practical ways, impacting young lives and fostering growth into manhood. This collaboration highlights the importance of community and mentorship in the church. [14:02]

- The church at Ephesus was commended for its doctrinal purity and perseverance but was warned about losing its first love. This serves as a reminder that maintaining the right beliefs should not overshadow the love and passion for Christ and one another. [36:23]

- Historical context reveals Ephesus as a city of diverse cultures and religions, similar to our own communities. The church's challenge was to remain steadfast in its beliefs amidst external pressures to compromise. [37:43]

- The call to remember, repent, and return is a call to change direction, to turn back to Christ, and to rekindle the passion and love that once defined our faith. This involves a conscious decision to prioritize our relationship with Him. [53:46]

- The promise for those who conquer is eternal fellowship with God, symbolized by the tree of life in His paradise. This underscores the importance of living a life that reflects our love for Him and our commitment to His purposes. [56:16]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [14:02] - Celebrating Troop 356
- [34:51] - Introduction to Revelation
- [36:23] - Ephesus: Commendation and Warning
- [37:43] - Historical Context of Ephesus
- [42:29] - Jesus Among His Church
- [44:51] - The Church's Purpose
- [47:25] - The Nicolaitans and Doctrinal Purity
- [49:00] - Paul's Warning to Ephesus
- [50:44] - The Danger of Losing Love
- [52:10] - The Call to Remember and Repent
- [53:46] - Returning to First Love
- [55:41] - The Meaning of Repentance
- [56:16] - The Promise of Eternal Fellowship
- [01:16:30] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Revelation 2:1-7

Observation Questions:
1. What commendations does Jesus give to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:2-3? How does this reflect their commitment to doctrinal purity? [36:23]
2. What is the main criticism Jesus has against the church at Ephesus, and what does He instruct them to do in response? [53:46]
3. How does the historical context of Ephesus as a diverse and bustling city relate to the challenges faced by the church there? [37:43]
4. What promise is given to those who conquer, according to Revelation 2:7, and what does it symbolize? [56:16]

Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might the church at Ephesus have lost its first love despite being commended for its hard work and perseverance? What factors could contribute to such a shift in focus? [52:10]
2. How does the call to "remember, repent, and return" serve as a practical guide for rekindling one's passion for Christ? What might this process look like in a modern context? [53:46]
3. In what ways can a church today become a mere religious institution rather than a vibrant community of believers? How can this be prevented? [44:51]
4. How does the promise of eating from the tree of life in the paradise of God serve as motivation for believers to maintain their love and commitment to Christ? [56:16]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Have there been times when you felt you lost your first love for Christ? What steps did you take, or could you take, to rekindle that passion? [53:46]
2. The church at Ephesus was praised for its doctrinal purity but criticized for losing its love. How can you balance maintaining correct beliefs with nurturing a loving relationship with Christ and others? [36:23]
3. Consider the diverse and multicultural context of Ephesus. How can your church engage with the diverse cultures and beliefs in your community while remaining steadfast in its faith? [37:43]
4. The sermon emphasized the importance of community and mentorship, as seen in the partnership with Boy Scout Troop 356. How can you actively participate in mentorship or community-building within your church? [14:02]
5. Jesus' warning to the church at Ephesus was to repent and return to their first love. What practical steps can you take this week to ensure your actions and decisions are motivated by love for Christ? [53:46]
6. Reflect on the promise of eternal fellowship with God. How does this promise influence your daily life and decisions? What changes might you make to align more closely with this eternal perspective? [56:16]
7. The sermon mentioned the danger of becoming a religious social club. How can you contribute to ensuring your church remains a vibrant community focused on glorifying God? [44:51]

Devotional

Day 1: Living Out Christian Values Through Community Partnerships
The partnership between Dublin Baptist Church and Boy Scout Troop 356 exemplifies how Christian values can be lived out in practical ways, impacting young lives and fostering growth into manhood. This collaboration highlights the importance of community and mentorship in the church. The church's involvement with the Boy Scouts has provided a platform for young men to develop life skills and character, guided by Christian principles. This partnership is a testament to the church's commitment to nurturing the next generation and equipping them to be leaders in their communities. [14:02]

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV): "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Reflection: Who in your community can you mentor or support to help them grow in their faith and life skills? How can you take a step towards this today?


Day 2: Balancing Doctrinal Purity with Love
The church at Ephesus was commended for its doctrinal purity and perseverance but was warned about losing its first love. This serves as a reminder that maintaining the right beliefs should not overshadow the love and passion for Christ and one another. The Ephesians were diligent in their faith, yet their focus on being right led them to neglect the love that should have been at the heart of their actions. This warning encourages believers to ensure that their pursuit of truth is always accompanied by a deep love for God and others. [36:23]

1 Corinthians 13:2 (ESV): "And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."

Reflection: In what ways might you be prioritizing being right over being loving? How can you realign your actions to reflect both truth and love?


Day 3: Perseverance Amidst Cultural Pressures
Historical context reveals Ephesus as a city of diverse cultures and religions, similar to our own communities. The church's challenge was to remain steadfast in its beliefs amidst external pressures to compromise. Ephesus was a bustling hub of activity, and the church there faced constant pressure to conform to the surrounding culture. Despite these challenges, they were praised for their perseverance. This serves as an encouragement to believers today to hold fast to their faith, even when faced with societal pressures to compromise. [37:43]

2 Timothy 1:13-14 (ESV): "Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you."

Reflection: What cultural pressures are you facing that challenge your faith? How can you stand firm in your beliefs while engaging with the world around you?


Day 4: Remember, Repent, and Return
The call to remember, repent, and return is a call to change direction, to turn back to Christ, and to rekindle the passion and love that once defined our faith. This involves a conscious decision to prioritize our relationship with Him. The church at Ephesus was urged to remember their initial love for Christ and to repent of their current state. This call is a reminder for all believers to continually evaluate their spiritual condition and to make necessary changes to restore their relationship with God. [53:46]

Revelation 2:5 (ESV): "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to rekindle your love for Christ and return to the passion you once had for Him?


Day 5: The Promise of Eternal Fellowship
The promise for those who conquer is eternal fellowship with God, symbolized by the tree of life in His paradise. This underscores the importance of living a life that reflects our love for Him and our commitment to His purposes. The assurance of eternal life with God is a powerful motivator for believers to remain faithful and to live in a way that honors Him. This promise serves as a reminder of the ultimate reward for those who persevere in their faith. [56:16]

Revelation 22:14 (ESV): "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates."

Reflection: How does the promise of eternal fellowship with God influence your daily decisions and actions? What changes can you make to live more intentionally for His purposes?

Quotes

"I know your works, your toils, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles. And are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently, and bearing up for my namesake, and have not grown weary." [00:36:08]

"Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen, repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you, and remove your lampstands. And from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." [00:36:52]

"Where was going on in Ephesus when John was writing this letter? And why are these things said to the church at this time? And what do they mean? And how should we understand? And how should we understand them 2,000 years later? So let me help you understand what was going on at the church at Ephesus." [00:38:39]

"Jesus is with his church. He walks among the midst of them. He is in the middle of them. He has not left them. Now, we're going to get to the end of Ephesus, and here's what we're going to learn. Or this letter to Ephesus, and here's what we're going to learn. The church at Ephesus, has left their first love. But Jesus has not left his church." [00:42:29]

"This has always been Jesus' church. He is the head of this church. We get the privilege to be members of this church. We contribute to this church. This church benefits us because of the ministries and the mission and because of the fellowship. But this is not our church. We don't own this. This isn't about what we can do or who we are. This is about who Jesus is." [00:43:31]

"If the church ever starts to act like the world, it ceases to be the church. What we have is a really nice religious club. If we think we can act like the world and that's good enough, we lie. We deceive ourselves. Well, what is the church supposed to be like? Glad you asked. John tells us." [00:44:51]

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. What is the church about? It's about salvation. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. There is no other way for our sin to be forgiven, except because of the sacrifice of Christ, the blood that was shed." [00:45:11]

"They are doing the right thing, okay? They are doctrinally pure. They're doing it. Everything's wonderful. But if you said, why are you doing this? They'd say, because daddy told me to. Because we're going to be right. Do you know what they do? Do you know what they do? And you know what happened? It became enemies and other side. And conflict began to brew." [00:53:11]

"Ephesus lost its first love. But Ephesus must repent. Look at verse 5. Remember, therefore, where you've fallen. Repent and do the works you did at first. Let me just put it this way. You remember, you repent, and you return. You remember what it was like. You repent. You change direction. And you return to what you know." [00:53:46]

"Repent is a change of direction. You know, for a lot of us, we point our life in a certain direction. And we say, you know, I'm going to do what I want. I need to take care of number one. You know, there's stuff that I like. And we build our life this way. And we make those decisions. And we say, I'm going to do this thing, and I'm going to do that thing." [00:55:41]

"If we don't have God's anointing or God's hand, we're just a religious social club going through a bunch of religious rituals and maybe everything we're doing is right and maybe it's all just we could biblically justify it and say well that's what the Bible says and we can make our stands but but God says unless you repent and come back to me I will take your lamp stand away." [01:03:47]

"The purpose of the church is to glorify God and if the church is made up of the people then it has to be made up of people who remember this is about God who repent this is not the direction I need to go and they return it's all going to be about Jesus it's going to be about loving him and loving God and it's all going to be about loving people." [01:05:47]

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Transcript
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