God's Redemption Story (Revelation)Näide

The Seven Churches - Day 1

Jesus’s words to the Christians in Ephesus begin on an overwhelmingly positive note. He commends them for their good deeds, acts of service, and their rejection of false teachers. This level of praise makes the following chastisement seem jarring. Jesus tells the Ephesians that they have “forgotten their first love,” which is Jesus himself.

While we struggle to understand how the Ephesians were doing such incredible things for God without being rooted in his love, this is an unfortunate reality for many Christians today. We spend so much time trying to “act Christian” that we forget the one for whom our faith is named. This is especially easy for those who have been actively involved in the body of Christ for many years. We shift into auto-pilot and forget why we’re doing what we’re doing. We serve, volunteer, and follow various moral principles not as an expression of our love for Jesus but because it’s the “right thing to do.” In our desire to serve the Lord, let us not forget our first love. If we are not firmly rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ, our good deeds are worthless.

While serving this week, ask yourself, “Why am I doing this, and how can I center my heart around Jesus?”