Apathetic Christians
As Christians we work in our church, we do stuffs, we do our ministries and we become busy in our Church/ Ministries. We know we do it for the Lord.
Did You consider yourself sometimes doing works for the Lord but feeling tired of doing it? Just because you have to, you still do it. Just like the volunteers feeling like they are obliged by the work because they have to finish their task. We became apathetic Christians when we forget to come into the Word.
what we are going to meditate and study right now is the book of Revelation 2:1-7.
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ (ESV)
The one who write the book of revelation is Apostle John which is exiled in the island of Patmos, these words was a revelation to Him while He is in the island. Jesus is speaking to the messenger of the church of Ephesus, whom were He has against them – they have left their first love.
Who were the called first love of the Church of Ephesus?
First let us read how the church of Ephesus grow.
We can see it in the book of Acts 19:1-10. This is the background how the Church of Ephesus started. The church were firmly taught by Paul from the Word of God for 2 Years and they are so on fire with it because of the Holy Spirit that is with them, that every people in Asia minor heard the Gospel.
Their first love is the Word of God, they grow in the knowledge of the Word, and “so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Acts 19:10
In Revelation 4:1-7, let’s read and overlook what the Lord said in the messenger in Church of Ephesus
Forsaken The First Love (vv. 1-4)
Why they become Apathetic?
Church have worked, labored, been patient, did not work with those who are evil, revealed who are the false teachers/Prophets, and not become weary for Christ’s sake (2-3). But the was a problem, God is not pleased.
Are we like the Church of Ephesus working and laboring in our church or in our Job doing this things:
We worked, labored, been patient, did not live with the wicked, revealed the false teachers, and not become weary as Christians for Christ sake. We give our tights and offerings.What if we are doing these things but in the end we’ll going to hear the message of God as He in the Ephesus:
“I know your works, but I have something against you”
and we are going to ask why? what do I neglected?
If we are the church of Ephesus we will know that our first love is the Word of God.
Remember Where You Have Fallen (v. 5a)
“Works without the Word is still not glorifying God, therefore He is not pleased”
Where they have fallen?
The problem in Ephesus
“As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” - 1 Timothy 1:3-7, ESV
Their love for the word of God has Fallen. The church of Ephesus have lost their affection for the WORD OF GOD, they become apathetic.
Whatever we do in our workplace or in our ministries without taking the word inside our hearts, we cannot live it out in the world, in our workplace, and/or in our ministry; therefore God is not pleased for Christ is not in the center of all of our works because we forgot to involve the Word of God in our lives and therefore God is not glorified in all of these.
The emotion has lost, the affection for the word has lost.
“Works without taking the Word inside us is vain”
“Apathy in the Word is a loveless works”
How we should respond?
Remember
Remember is the first word of instruction in this verses. Consider your life with the Word from the beginning. Remember that you have fallen from the word of God and now you are living without taking it in your heart.
Remember that in all of our deeds our heart for the Lord is the most important as we do those things, and we cannot do things for the glory of God if we cannot embrace the Word.
Turn Away/Repent
As Christians if we can see ourselves as the church of Ephesus, God is calling us too in repentance and turn away from our sins when we are far from the Word.
Do The First Work
The first work is to get back from the Word of God and embrace it, like how the psalmist says:
“I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” – Psalm 119:11,ESV
Removing the Lamp Stand (v.5c)
Means that both in the near future and when Christ return, they would lose their status as a church and Christ would treat them like apostate Israel.
Nicolaitans - Heretical Christians. (V. 6)
The Greatest Reward (v.7)
Eat in the Tree of Life which is in Heaven.( v. 7)
Like the Church of Ephesus some Christians hates the heretical Christians the unorthodox, God considered those; we are also warned to remove their lampstand if they will not repent (it’s just mean that we are not a legitimate part of the church), and if we overcome we will inherit the rewards waiting for the church.
Taking the Word inside our hearts as we live it all out in our ministry and in everywhere we are is the work that pleases God, the Love that loved us first. In the end after all that should happen on earth has done we will face God and get the price we deserved aside from the eternal life.
We need the Word of God
Take it in, and live it all out