Revelation 2:1-7: X-Ray vision.

‘To the angelof 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. 2 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. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.4 Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 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. 6 But you have this in your favour: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.7 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.” NIV

In the first chapter, John says of Jesus that ‘’his eyes were like a blazing fire’’ (14b). One preacher explained these words by declaring that Jesus has ‘x-ray vision’. He is all-knowing. Twice in this letter to Ephesus He says, ‘’I know’’ (2). He knows everything there is to know about a local church, and He can strategically direct the call to repentance to just where it needs to land (4,5). Whenever we hear this call it is essential that we should respond rightly (5b). A church’s light can go out. Someone said that the local church is never more than one generation away from extinction

It’s sobering to think that a church can have many good qualities; as a congregation we may be busy, busy, busy. Yet at the same time we can lose our heart (4). Does this probing verse refer to love for God or for people? From what I can see commentators differ. But why shouldn’t it mean both? After all, the two are indissolubly linked. If something goes awry with our love for God it will have a detrimental effect on our love for people.

We should always remember that without love we are ‘’nothing’’ (1 Corinthians 13).

PRAYER: Lord, I ask that love for you and for others will be our church’s heartbeat.