Text taken from Revelation 2:1-7. Walking in this means "actively walking for a purpose" or patrolling. Jesus is patrolling His churches (Rev 2:1).
Ephesus was a successful church. It was about 40 years old at the time of this letter. Many had been involved in it: Paul, Timothy, Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla. It was one of the churches doing it right. Every letter starts with what the church is doing right.
1. Labor to the point of weariness.
2. Perserverance -- ability to carry on.
Apostles in this passage means missionaries. The church at Ephesus was good at discerning right from wrong. The church held to right from wrong.
"Yet, I hold this against you." Rev. 2:4
"You have left your first love."
Meaning you have divorced your first love. Without love, the rest of it means nothing.
You're consistent. The reason you do things went from a desire, a burning passion for Christ was replaced with obligation -- this is a red flag for us to do something.
Are we like Ephesus?
Have we lost our passion, our love?
"Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first"
Rev 3:5a
You gotta come back -- you can do it right. Love, love, love, love. If we've gotten too busy doing other stuff -- without love it's all worthless. God's a jealous God. He doesn't want anyone to slip away.
Christ never abandons us. Never. You know right from wrong. Great. So now, come back. That child-like faith. Repent -- turn back to God. Remember from where we came from.
1. Spend more time in worship, praising God. It is one of the first things to go when our faith goes stale.
We cannot add to the time we have here on earth. We can add to the quality of our time. If I don't make an effort I will only remember the negative. We need to see God at work.
2. We need to surround ourselves with others who are passionate about Jesus. We are here to support each other. We need this connection. We need each other. We're here to help each other get recharged. We need to guard that first love. He should feel us holding onto Him.
Imagine what Father wants from us -- Hold my hand. Jesus said we have to have the faith of a child. Let's reset ourselves.
Jude 17-25
"Keep yourselves in the love of God" (21)
build "yourselves up on your most holy faith" (20)
When people look at me, do they know I love Jesus? We have to have that first love in our lives.