Our text this morning comes from an epistle, a New Testament letter from Jesus Christ himself, scribed by the Apostle John to the Church in Ephesus. It’s the first of seven letters sent to seven churches in Asia, over which the Apostle John was an overseer, or Bishop.
For this letter to this Church in Ephesus we will look at two of the three things that Jesus does in his message to His church: He perceives, He prescribes, and He persuades. I take these points from a sermon on the same passage by the great Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon. I listened to plenty of sermons on this passage from great preachers on the topic in my own preparation: they were all good, and insightful and basically saying the same thing, but this great preacher just often had a way of hearing and announcing the loving heart of God to His people. I was tempted …very tempted, just to preach his message… since it’s become one of my favorite sermons. It moved my heart and stirred me, prompting this question by Jesus to me: Do you still love Me? Do you love me as you loved me at first?
I) Jesus Perceives
One of the preachers I listened to, a well-researched and thorough teacher, represented the seven letters to the Churches as if they were report Cards written to these churches. An evaluation of each… a performance evaluation. At least that is what it sounded like to me… I don’t blame him for that perspective: this is the world we live in. That is how we are trained and schooled. That is what happens in our educational institutions from preschool to tertiary and then into the workplace… There are performance standards, learning outcomes, and at the end of each phase a professional gives you an evaluation on your performance. This preacher was not home-schooled, I’m sure. Because that is not how we do homeschooling. That is not how a loving parent instructs his or her children. That is not how a beloved speaks to his lover. It not evaluation, its exhortation. It’s not assessment, it’s correction. It’s not reporting and appraisal, it’s reproof and appealing. This is the first thing to keep in mind as we read and hear Jesus’ perception of his Churches (and our church): He loves her more than anyone. More than any mother could love a child. More than any man has ever loved a woman. So has Jesus loves His bride. This is how He identifies Himself in the letter:
"… from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,…" (Rev 1:5)
So, the first thing to say about Jesus’s perception of this church, is that he perceives it as the one that has loved them… us… while we were yet sinners, when all that could be said of us is that we were His enemies… he has loved us by washing our sins… our offences against Him…in his blood. How much more now… now that we are his very own - purchased and sanctified by his blood, are we not nestled in his loving embrace.
And can anyone know us better than the One that loves us the most? Is anyone’s perception of us more valuable than the One who knows us inside out and loves us all the same? Is anyone’s criticism of us more to be heeded than He who died for us?
Oh, and he does know his Churches well… he walks in the midst of them… the one that walks in the midst of the candlesticks. “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience…” he says. Friends…Jesus knows our works. He knows our works. He sees and knows everything that we have and are doing for Him. He is not ignorant of our efforts. As Spurgeon says: he is not blind to his Church’s beauties… He loves to behold them. He makes a boast of them. I know thy works, and thy labours and thy patience! Can you see him pleased and proud of a church that is active and energetic!
Can you see Him smile with satisfaction at our efforts to fast and pray for weeks on end? Happy that we honour His mission with our own mission weekend… Pleased at our sending preachers across the city and even across the seas! A Fan of our family groups! He does not miss a single time we meet! He is even pleased at our patience during lockdown and efforts to ensure his people are cared for in word and deed… Yes, he tells the Ephesians and he is telling us today… I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience.
And then also…thou canst not bear them which are evil:
I don’t know, if this is something that the Lord Jesus, see is us, but notice that he saw it in this Ephesian Church. Yes, He saw in them a patience to endure hardship but certainly no patience with them that are evil. They could not bear them that are evil, certainly not in their own midst. Is not this worth mentioning, that Christ commended his beloved Church in Ephesus for not bearing with them which are evil. Notice He did not say “you cannot bear evil” as if He is talking some intruding spirit or a generic and active force, but rather “you cannot bear THEM that are evil”. He perceived and was pleased that the Ephesians marked evil and ungodly people among them and did not allow them to continue in the fellowship if they continue in their sin! Jesus is pleased that they are zealous for His holiness… pleased that they practiced Church discipline!
Oh, this ought to be a virtue we should strive for in our time, is it not? The highest virtue in our age is tolerance! The world will be please with us if we will tolerate and accommodate the worst of sinners in our midst. If we celebrate and accommodate with it the perversions of our age. Tolerance is the highest virtue in our age… Tolerance of anything except the very thing for which the Ephesians are being praised for… You may not tolerate them which hated those which are evil. This will not please the world, but it pleased our Lord!
and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
What is more… they were zealous for the truth! Oh I do hope that our Lord Jesus can say this of us! I do believe He would! But he did perceive it in this Church in Ephesus, they loved the Truth and Hated liars: They exposed those that claimed to be apostles and were not!
Oh believe me, my first draft for my sermon I took a 15 minute journey on this route (okay 20 minutes)! I am extremely passionate about the Office and ministry of the Apostles: I don’t believe that office is still open and that we still have Apostles today. I can make a thorough Biblical defence of that! I do believe, however, that the Apostles are still ministering to us through their writings, the New Testament, but I am zealous for us to take care with how we use the word, Apostle, as a name, title and even the adjective’s meaning! I could easily have made my whole sermon on this verse: “thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars “. I almost did – using this praise to the Ephesians as an exhortation for us!
That alone, I hope, would demonstrate that in this too I think the Lord would perceive in us this fervency for truth and the authority of His word… God alone could take out that part of my sermon… and He did because even though He perceived in His Ephesian church and affirms in us this day a LOVE for good works, hard work and patience… a Love for righteousness and Holiness and a Love for Truth and Faithfulness… There is a question He has for us this morning: Do you still Love ME? Oh you love the good things that comes from Me.. but do you still Love ME… do you love Me the way you Loved me at first?
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Oh friends are these not the most piercing words in all of Scripture? Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
You can read right passed it, be pierced at the heart and not even know it… almost like getting a cut unnoticed by a razor sharp blade only to find out later… that you bled to death because you never noticed the wound!
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
It is said is in almost a pathetic way considering it is said by Him that hold seven stars in his hand! He says it so tenderly… I imagine a husband who loves his wife more than life itself… a wife who is perfect in her devotion to Him. A wife who keeps His home in perfect order. She works hard and faithfully to ensure that everyone is fed and cared for. She wakes up early and goes to bed late to accomplish all her tasks. She patiently performs the same routine tasks every day with the same care and devotion, day after day, year after year… She allows no grease or grime to spoil their home. She allows no foul smell or stain for it to be perfect. There is no dust under the carpet, or messy Tupperware cupboard. There is no disorganized basement or drawer where all the rubbish is hidden… His children are always fed and yet never a mess. They are always clean and well dressed - an impeccable testament of his provision and their care for them. She performs her wifely duties… perfectly and can only be praised for her devotion! I imagine He holds her in his arms, in his most loving embrace… and tells her: I know your efforts… I know how much you love our home: how hard you work and patiently you labour. I know how fervent you are to keep everything in order and perfect… I know how much you love our children and how difficult it is to keep the kids fed and clean and heathy! I know how much you do to honour and serve Me… but I have something against you: you have left your first love… Do you still love Me?
Do you love Me? Jesus is asking us this today!
Do you remember when He asked Peter this question? Peter was his most devoted and passionate disciple! He gave up his business and family and left it all to follow Jesus! He had faith like no other disciple following Jesus to the point of even walking on water! He was the first to acknowledge him as the Christ the Son of God, and when he saw the glory of Christ in his transfiguration he wanted to build him a house right there and then! He vowed his life in elegance to Jesus as King- “if ALL would be offended and forsake thee, I will never forsake Thee!” But then in the heat of it… in the moment of truth… in the final act… he failed Him. Peter denied Jesus three times in Christ darkest hour. He could not endure and overcome his own fears… Oh how bitterly he wept when his heart was exposed. When Peter knew himself as the Master knew him so well. He fooled everyone, including himself with his zeal, devotion and even his faith… but Jesus knew his heart…
The next time they would meet, after the resurrection of Jesus, He confronted Peter with this question. He did not ask him: “why did you forsake me in the Garden?”. He did not ask him “why did you deny me in the courtyard”. He did not ask him: “why did you not tend to my body” or “why did you not believe Me when I said I would but that I would be raised again!”. He simply asked this question: “Peter, do you love me?”
Friends, He is not asking us because he does not know. He knows. “I know thy works…I have somewhat against thee: thou hast left thy first love”. He knows… we might not. Not unless He tells us and we hear, and examine our own hearts… we might fool ourselves to think that all the things we love about Jesus, is love for Jesus… but is it? Do we still Love Him? Do we still Him as we loved him at first.
For what is our works if it is without Love for him:
Though we could proclaimed the Gospel through our missions in a thousand languages …without His love we are “a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. Though we had the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and all faith, to move mountains without love, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13… without love “I am nothing”. If I were to sacrifice everything I have, all my time, all my goods… everything… for the sake of Christ… even my life! Even dying for the sake of the Gospel, he says it profits me nothing."
Do we still love Him?
Oh He might say it in such a tender and loving way. He might say it out of his deep love and sincere care for us His church, but he calls it by the most lamentable name… In verse 5, he calls it a fall! A fall. “Remember from whence thou are fallen!”. “thou are fallen!”. Beloved, if thou has left thy first love, thou are fallen”! Thou are fallen! Oh those who loose faith in the time of testing is said to “fall away” (Luke 8 verse 13)! Those who follow after Anti-Christ is part of the “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2 verse 3); Those who continue to Sin after they have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they continue in Sin are said to have fallen away ( Hebrews 6 verse 6). Adam’s sin is called the FALL. The man who hears the words of Jesus and does not do them, falls and his fall is great! Jesus saw Satan fall from heaven! (Luke 10:18) And now Jesus is addressing his Church that hates such lies, such wickedness such apostasy… they hates such things with fervor and zealously pursuing its contrast… and yet without their first Love: Thou art fallen!
Oh to be lumped by God’s word under the same name of those things these Ephesians hated, must have been lamentable to hear! What grief it should strike to our hearts! What tears it should bring to our eyes… to hear He who loved us and washed us in his blood say… thou art fallen, because we have left our first love.
This is first Word that God, and our Lord have for us today is the HE perceives in us precious beauties, but He is also saying in the most tender and loving way to us: You have left your first Love…
Oh, but our Jesus does not just Perceive this fault in us, his beloved, and then leave us to resolve this dreadful personal offence to Him, by figuring out its cure ourselves… No He perceives the ill, but the Great Physician also prescribes its remedy: Remember, Repent and Return.
II) Jesus Prescribes the Remedy: Remember, Repent and Return!
Remember
Verse 5: Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen
Remember! The first step to our recovery is to Remember…
This week Tanya and I celebrated 12 years of marriage on Tuesday… I got her... nothing. It was a normal day. Nothing special done by me or her at all! I remember when I first fell in love with Tanya. I bought her a rose on the 9th of each month for each month we had been together. That soon became too expensive… though. But I did not care if I spent everything I had on her. On my birthday she covered my car with probably 200 hand-cut hearts – when I got their after my classes I discovered my little Toyota Corolla covered in pink hearts and I drove it with the greatest delight in BlueBull Country (Back then they were still Blue!). When she came to visit me, I would drive behind her to her home to make sure she got their safely. Even when she moved to Jo’burg after varsity! The other night she had to beg me just go out to give the dog who was scratching at the door water. I know I love my wife… I love her more sincere today than I ever did… but to compare how I loved her at first with how I love her now can only be described as a fall!
Do you remember how you loved Jesus at first? Think about it for a little bit… do you remember how you loved Him in the beginning? I do. I remember when I just got saved… I actually started reading the Bible in April and only got saved in May, but I read through the whole Bible by the end of that year! I the second semester I used the money my mom gave me for textbooks, to Tuks Missions Committee for World Missions. R1000! I failed both two subjects. I was studying Actuarial Science, and I stopped… I stopped my studies and pursuing my career and devoted year to God doing a course called Metamorpho, to allow God to show me what he wanted me to do with my life. I had joined Tuks Missions Committee and that where I met Theodor. Oh, the things we did out of our young Love for Jesus! We prayed at one time for 5 days straight! We had no sleep for 4 nights. I had Meta classes in the day though… but let me tell you I was the only one awake in those boring classes and yet Theo and I and a few others would spend every night the whole night praying! Theo and I also met our wives on Tuks Mission Committee, so hey it was definitely worth it! I once went to every hospital and every hotel this side of Pretoria on my own initiative to ask for blankets for our church’s blanket drive for the homeless! But again these are just labours… its just things we did, but we did it out of LOVE for Jesus! Young Love!
I remember specifically three times my heart bursting with Love for Jesus. The first was while I was still fresh from my sins… I still carried the fragrance of my wickedness… I smoked. I told the story in a previous sermon, how Jesus spoke to me. To my heart and told me my addiction was a lie. I was believing a lie and that is why I was not free. It’s what happened after that moment I did not tell you about… I was so moved by Jesus speaking to me, that I asked Him, Lord! Lord! I want to see you! I wanted to see My Saviour! I had heard Him and now I wanted to see Him. Now, I don’t know if I saw a vision or if it was my imagination. I don’t know if my eyes were open, or if it was closed. But I saw Him! I saw Him. I don’t remember seeing his face because what immediately struck me was his nail pierced hands and feet! And I just knew.. I knew that I had done this to Him… My sin was laid on him! He was pierced for my transgression… And it grieved my so that I started weeping bitterly! And He spoke to me again and said… Don’t be sad! I carry the wounds so that you do not have to. (singing) Oh How I loved Jesus… because he first Loved me!
The next time was when I finally understood Justification: when I realized just what had happened on the cross! I had to tell my whole life history to a group of 30 people at the beginning of Metamorpho, and in my story I had done a particularly grievous sin! I was so ashamed and guilt-ridden for this thing I had done and now I had to tell everyone about it. Oh they will judge me! Oh they will think terrible of Me! Then I discovered Romans 8 verse 33: Who shall lay any charge against God’s Elect – it is God that justifies. I looked up what justify means: it meant “to be declared innocent!” You are innocent, God told me from His Word! But I am not I said… I had done this and many other terrible things! Who shall lay any charge against My elect! I have said they are innocent! Oh He has made him who knew no Sin, to be Sin for me… To declare me innocent! I was innocent. Declared innocent. Who are these people to judge me – when God declared me innocent! No, who am I to carry guilt which God has taken away! Oh I was delivered! Oh I was set Free! Oh I burst with joy and love for my Saviour! He did it because he loved me! (Singing) Oh how I love Jesus… Oh how I loved Jesus… Oh how I loved Jesus… because he first loved me!
I remember very specifically that Sunday how I stood in Church, just in absolute adoration and appreciation for my Lord. But as I looked around I was so surprised that other people we so apathetic while they sang! They were not bursting with song! They were not adoring their King! I couldn’t understand it! How could you believe this precious… precious truth and not be overcome with the fullness of God Himself! How could you be saved and not celebrate! How could you be in love with this your Saviour and not adore him! Oh look around when we praise our Lord, friends… do you see a people that are in Love? Or do you see a people who has left their first LOVE! Remember! Remember from where thou art fallen.
Remember… Remember the woman with the Alabastar box? She is a testament of exactly this same thing, who out of her Love for Jesus, makes herself a fool! Out of her love for Jesus completely misspends a whole year’s salary!
"There Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. (Luk 7:36-50):
At the end of my Meta-year we went on Camp to Natures Valley. Every afternoon I would go for a walk… not alone… I walked with Jesus. I imagined myself walking with Jesus the way Adam might have. (Singing) And he walked with me and he talked with me, and the tells me I am his own… and the joy we share when we tarry their… none other has ever known… At the end of one of these walks on the beach. I asked Jesus that I wanted to walk on the water with Him… oh how bold.. how childish…how stupid… how much I loved Him… I walked into the see. My feet was on the sand just underneath the water. I walked quite bit into the sea and the water never really got deeper… my feet was just covered.. Then I realized just how stupid this is and got upset with my childishness and turned around to walk out… I immediately fell knee deep in the water as I took a step back to the beach. I was shocked and overwhelmed. There and then I asked Jesus if he would baptize me Himself. I went on my knees and fell backwards into the water – I don’t know what I expected to happen.. but nothing did. Again I just felt stupid and headed back to the group… soaked in my clothes I had on… with only a story, of how I loved Jesus…
Now I know this is silly! I know this stupid! When I told spoke to Tanya about this she objected and said, yes but we must also grow up from our immature ways. It does not mean if we don’t do silly things like buy monthly flowers or cover our cars in pink hearts that we do not love each other anymore. Of course I agree! OF course I am certainly not promoting silly things like that you go pretend to be with Jesus to walk on water and have yourself pretend re-baptised… that’s not what I am saying. What I am saying is that Jesus’ remedy is that we REMEMBER from where we art fallen. Remember! These things might be foolish! We could maybe have better used our money and time… BUT they are a testament of our FIRST Love…
Do you remember how you loved Jesus? Could come of you give me an adjective, just in a word or two that would describe you FIRST love for Jesus?
Can you still use those adjectives to describe your love for our Lord?
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent!
Repent!
Repent! Oh is this a word not appropriate for Sinner?! Why use it for those who Paul called the Saints in Ephesus? Because not Loving our Lord is the Greatest of Sins! What is the Greatest commandment – It is to Love the Lord you God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength and all your mind! Then is not the greatest sin to break the greatest commandment?
Paul says: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema! Let him be cursed!
Again if I may borrow from Spurgeon Sermon. He is speaking his own Heart…
"Repent as thou didst at first. The word so suitable to sinners is suitable to thee, for thou hast grievously sinned. Repent of the wrong thou hast done thy Lord by leaving thy first love of him. Couldst thou have lived a seraphic life, only breathing his love, only existing for him, thou hadst done little enough; but to quit thy first love, how grievously hast thou wronged him! That love was well deserved, was it not? Why, then, hast thou left it? Is Jesus less fair than he was? Does he love thee less than he did? Has he been less kind and tender to thee than he used to be? Say, hast thou outgrown him? Canst thou do without him? Hast thou a hope of salvation apart from him? I charge thee, repent of this thine ill-doing towards one who has a greater claim upon thy love than ever he had. He ought to be to-day loved more than thou didst love him at thy very best! O my heart, is not all this most surely true? How ill art thou behaving! What an ingrate art thou! Repent! Repent!"
Beloved: can we turn from such a low state of Grace. Can we turn our attention from all that we are doing for Him, like Martha, and come sit at his feet again. Can we choose that which Mary chose which never will be taken away from her! Speak to your soul! Cry out to your heart to stop wandering away from our Lord, to Remember, repent and then Return…
That is in fact what he is saying to us for his full remedy: Remember … repent, and do the first works! Return to the first Works…
What are these first works? Will I to read through the Bible again? Shall I do a full week of non-stop prayer and fast again? How about, plundering the rich for the sake of the poor again? Empty my bank account for him? Leave my career and my future for Him? Hate my own family for Him? O shall write him a New Song? Shall I fall on my knees and adore Him? Shall I take daily walks with Him? Follow him into and over the Seas?
Oh maybe… but are they not just the fruit of the first works?! The first works are these: Love and Faith.
I don’t stand before you today rich in answers on what this return looks like… with good practical application on how we can do the first works… because I am as poor as anyone here in the Love that I had at first. I don’t exactly understand why the Lord would have ordained for me to have this sermon… maybe it is because I am so poor in my love for Him that the only answer I have… is the only answer there is… Jesus. Shall I trust more in me… or more in Him. Shall I try to fill my own heart with love, when the only reason I have any love at all is because he poured in into my heart by the Holy Ghost that came from Him. Can it be that simple? Just love and trust Him… Well is that not what made me fall in Love with Him to begin with? That He did it ALL! That he did it ALL! That all of his riches and mercies are mine for the taking simply by receiving Him, through faith in his Name! Was that not how we received the Spirit? By Faith… are we so foolish having begun in the Spirit, shall we now attempt to be perfected by our flesh?
Believe and receive Jesus my friends. We love Him because he first Loved us…
This was Paul’s Prayer for this very church in Ephesus and this is my prayer for us today…
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Eph 3:14-21)
