Revelation
2:1-17
Typically,
we attempt to look at the seven churches of Revelation and endeavor to find
there some insight regarding the end times. A better application and
understanding of these messages to the churches is, “What does it mean to be a disciple?
What can we learn about how to live for Christ from each of these churches?”
Ephesus
was a great church. She was hard working with many good deeds. She was
determined and faithful and in both her works and her commitment to moral
purity and doctrine. But into this great church had slipped a problem. They
were doing the right stuff as they had always done, but the motivation had
changed. Perhaps inertia or tradition or reputation had slipped in and become
their motivation. For whatever reason, they
had left their first love. It was so subtle that they likely never noticed the
change. Where once they did great works
for the love of Jesus now they left love out of their motivation. They made a
choice to leave, they left their first love but their first love did not leave
them. They were not victims but
perpetrators, it didn't happen to them, rather they did it to themselves. As
disciples if the love of Christ is not the motivation our works, no matter how
grand, will ultimately and finally come to nothing.
In
our “mega” world, where bigger is assumed to be better and more is the goal,
the disciple must be content with being a misfit. Our objective is never to be the greatest and
biggest. The most positive message from
our Lord to these churches is to a church that would not garner a lot of
attention in our world. This church was in the midst of trouble and it was poor. And it was about to suffer more with prison
and testing that were just ahead. But this is, from our Lord's perspective, the
best of the churches. As a disciple we must remember that those things so
highly valued by our culture in a church may be contemptible to our Lord and
those things our world wants to avoid may indicate loyalty to the One outside
of the world.
Being
in the world is the reality for the church and disciple. Being of the world is
the ruin of any church or disciple. Apparently, at one time Pergamum was a
great church. During a time of persecution she has remained faithful. But now,
and perhaps because of persecution, the church had let down her guard. The
reference to Balaam and Balak is related to the teachings of the Nicolaitans.
The Nicolaitans were a group that taught the relaxation of the high moral standards
that marked the Christian community. Perhaps out of misguided compassion, the
desire for growth, wanting the acceptance of the community at large or even the
lure of recreational sin the church had allowed immoral people to be a part of
the church without repentance. Jesus promises a war if they did not repent.
Don't miss this; unrepentant immorality will cause Jesus to make war against
us. As a disciple we must remember no matter how compassionate, effective or
appealing something may sound the compromise of morals is a short path to ruin.
In
this passage we see one very good church, one bad church and one church some
where in the middle. As disciples and as members of the church we are always in
the process of decision, we are always at a sort of crossroads for the
future. The next step we take will move
us toward the point of taking the next step, either for good or bad.
Questions
to Ponder
Have
you ever had someone you love grow cold or indifferent toward you? What were the emotions that evoked? In your ministry for the church are you loving
the Lord and expressing that delighted service?
If
you are part of a smaller congregation do you feel pressure to be larger? From what emotions or convictions does that
pressure come? Have you seen or have you ever compromised things you shouldn’t
in order to have more people at church services?
In
our pluralistic culture there is great emphasis on being non-judgmental. How can that be positive for the church? How can that be dangerous for the church? In
what ways is the church expected to be judgmental and yet still loving?
