Are You Characterized By Love?

Today let’s ask the question, “Can I be described by the term LOVE?” Does how you live your life exhibit your love for God?

Everyone has had a first love in life. Do you remember yours? It might have been a childhood or teenage crush. Some call it puppy love. For some it may have happened early in life. For others it may have happened later on.

Do you remember working hard, maybe even doing crazy things, to get that person to love you back? As I remember my first childhood love, it occurs to me now that throwing rocks at her in order to get her to love me may not have been the smartest thing to do.

Now think about when you first came to Christ. Do you remember how you loved Jesus? You probably realize now that unlike a childhood crush, you knew you didn’t have to work to receive His love in return.

Over time though, we get busy doing things and we might start thinking that our WORK for Him is the most important part of our relationship. Well, as we are going to see in Jesus’ message in the Book of Revelation to the church at Ephesus, works cannot replace the need to keep our first love in the right place. We need to return to our first love for Christ. That’s where we are going today. I’ll be using Revelation 2 for our message today. But first, let’s pray. PRAYER

Some of you know that I have written a series of books—one book on each chapter of the Book of Revelation. I have taught a year to 1 ¼ long plus class four times now on the Book of Revelation. In no way am I claiming to be an expert on the Book. But I find it amazing, that every time I read it again, I find something else that stands out.

Tradition says that John was the only apostle not martyred for his faith. Other than Judas, of course, who killed himself. So John wasn’t executed for sharing the gospel. But late in his life, around 95AD, the old man John was exiled to the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, just off the coast of Asia Minor. (Rev. 1:9) “I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

He was exiled there because of his bold ministry for Christ primarily in the city of Ephesus. In the Book of Revelation, John tells of how, on the Lord’s Day, he was in the Spirit when he witnessed a vision of the risen and exalted Christ. Jesus commanded John to write down what he was about to hear and see, and send it as letters to seven churches in seven cities in Asia Minor. John first wrote to the church in Ephesus.

Revelation 2:1-3 – ““Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. 3 I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name, and you have not grown weary.”

Ephesus was literally at the crossroads of civilization. Home to the temple of the Roman goddess Diana, it was the center for fertility worship. Ephesus was a city that was full of pagan religious options. The church at Ephesus was full of dedicated people who were serving the Lord and doing their best to stay on course in their relationship with Him, in spite of all the evil options and temptations available to them in the city. Jesus acknowledged the church for their good works and for staying the course. Their perseverance and endurance were commendable. The Ephesian believers were known for their good works.

Like the church in Ephesus, many Christians want to do all they can for the Lord. We have many here that go the extra mile and do all kinds of work behind the scenes. But it is easy for anyone to start depending on the works to keep in good with the Lord. Not saying that anyone is doing that, but let me tell you about a gentleman in a certain church. We’ll call him Joe.

Several years ago, Joe visited the church and accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior. Before long, Joe was serving in a variety of places around the church. He was compassionate, kind and developed a heart of gold when it came to serving. He preferred to serve without people noticing that he was doing it. However, after several months, his demeanor began to change because serving no longer brought him the same joy it initially did.