How Jesus Loves An Unloving Church (Revelation 2:1-7) Series

What we see here is an offer, extended to every Christian who hears these words, and obeys them (Revelation 1:3). To the one conquering, Jesus will give to eat from the tree of life in God's garden. God's garden wasn't wiped out in the flood. It won't forever be guarded by warrior angels, to keep us out. One day, those who conquer will get to eat from the tree that Adam and Eve never did-- the tree of life.

We could ask ourselves if this is symbolic, or literal. I like the idea that my life after this one will be lived in a giant park, filled with fruit trees. I find that a lot more appealing than thinking about a heavenly city coming down onto earth (although we will see eventually, that we, the church, are the city). Adam and Eve didn't blow it for all of humanity, forever. God has created a way, through Jesus, for paradise to be regained, and for us to live forever with God. Me liking this verse, a lot, is probably not the best reason in the world to say that this verse is literal, but, honestly, I'm pinning a lot of my hope on this one verse.

But really, there's a more important question here that we should ask ourselves. How do you conquer? What do you conquer? How do you make sure you get to eat from that tree, and live forever?

Based on what Jesus says to this angel, and his church, Jesus expects you to conquer by doing all the things the Ephesian church did, AND doing the one thing the church didn't-- love one another. You conquer by being steadfast, and hard-working, and loving one another.

So if we hear what Jesus says, we will self-check on probably two main things today. Are we working hard? Are we loving one another? And I just want to leave you with the encouragement to consider that. There was a time, "earlier," when none of us had to be told to focus on loving one another. We helped one another, we cared about one another, we prayed for one another. That's something that can't be "left behind."

I'd to focus on one last thing in closing. Let's turn back to Revelation 1:4-6 (NRSV updated no reason):

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed[a] us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests serving[b] his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

This book began by telling us that Jesus loves us, in an ongoing way. And this is true for the Ephesian church. Jesus loves them. But what does that mean?

Jesus loving his people doesn't mean that we can live however we want, and that Jesus will still be in our midst.

There's comes a point at which Jesus will no longer hang out with us. We will lose our place with him. And one of the ways that happens, is if we stop loving one another.