**The Letter to the Church in Ephesus**
In the days when the apostle John was exiled on the island of Patmos, he received a vision from the Lord Jesus Christ. One Lord’s Day, as John was in the Spirit, he heard a voice like a trumpet behind him. Turning, he saw the risen Christ, radiant with glory, His eyes like blazing fire and His feet like burnished bronze. In His hand, He held seven stars, and from His mouth came a sharp, double-edged sword. His voice was like the sound of rushing waters, and His face shone like the sun in all its brilliance.
Jesus spoke to John, instructing him to write letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor. The first of these letters was addressed to the church in Ephesus, a bustling city known for its grand temple to the goddess Artemis and its thriving trade. The church in Ephesus had been established years earlier by the apostle Paul, who had spent three years there, teaching and nurturing the believers. Now, decades later, the Lord Himself had a message for them.
John took up his pen and began to write:
*“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.”*
The imagery was rich and symbolic. The seven stars represented the angels, or messengers, of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands symbolized the churches themselves. Jesus, the one who walked among them, was intimately aware of their deeds, their struggles, and their hearts.
*“I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.”*
The church in Ephesus had been diligent in guarding the purity of the faith. They had not been swayed by false teachers or deceptive doctrines. They had stood firm, testing the claims of those who came in the name of Christ but preached lies. Their commitment to truth was commendable, and the Lord acknowledged their perseverance.
*“You have persevered and have endured hardships for My name, and have not grown weary.”*
The believers in Ephesus had faced trials and opposition. They had been mocked, persecuted, and ostracized for their faith. Yet, they had not given up. They had remained steadfast, enduring hardship for the sake of Christ. Their endurance was a testament to their love for the Lord.
But then, the tone of the letter shifted. The Lord, who sees not only outward actions but also the deepest recesses of the heart, had a solemn rebuke for them.
*“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”*
The church in Ephesus had been so focused on defending the truth and maintaining doctrinal purity that they had neglected the very essence of their faith: love. Their love for Christ and for one another had grown cold. The fervor and passion they once had for the Lord had waned, replaced by a mechanical adherence to duty.
*“Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”*
The warning was grave. A church that loses its love for Christ is no longer a true church, no matter how orthodox its doctrine or how impressive its works. The Lord called them to repentance, to return to the love they had once known—a love that had filled their hearts with joy, gratitude, and devotion.
Yet, even in His rebuke, the Lord offered hope. He reminded them of something they still held dear:
*“But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”*
The Nicolaitans were a group within the church who promoted compromise with the pagan culture, encouraging believers to participate in idolatry and immorality. The Ephesian church had rejected their teachings, standing firm against such corruption. The Lord commended them for this, affirming their hatred of what He Himself despised.
The letter concluded with a promise, a word of encouragement for those who would heed the Lord’s call to repentance:
*“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”*
The tree of life, first mentioned in the Garden of Eden, symbolized eternal life and fellowship with God. To those who overcame—who returned to their first love and remained faithful—the Lord promised a place in His eternal kingdom, where they would partake of the tree of life and dwell in His presence forever.
As John finished writing the letter, he paused, reflecting on the words of the Lord. The message to the church in Ephesus was both a warning and an invitation. It was a call to remember, to repent, and to return to the love that had once defined them. And it was a promise of hope, a reminder that the Lord’s grace was sufficient for all who would turn to Him.
The letter was sealed and sent to Ephesus, where it was read aloud to the congregation. The believers listened intently, their hearts stirred by the Lord’s words. Some wept, realizing how far they had drifted. Others resolved to rekindle the flame of their first love, to seek the Lord with all their hearts once more.
And so, the church in Ephesus began a journey of repentance and renewal, guided by the words of the One who walks among the lampstands, who holds the stars in His hand, and who calls His people to love Him above all else.
