Remember, Repent, and Return

Revelation 2:1-7 records the first of seven letters to seven churches. In each letter, Jesus addresses the pastors of the church, called "angel" or "messenger" in each letter, and holds them accountable. The church at Ephesus was commended for many things: their labor, patience, stance against evil, and their ability to expose false apostles. However, Jesus pointed out one glaring weakness, their lack of heart.



Of the seven churches addressed in Revelation, Ephesus would be the most prominent. Ephesus was a key city in the Roman empire and a thriving port city. Jesus, though, was willing to remove that church if they did not bring the heart back into the work. It was not enough for Christ that they were getting it done; no He demanded that they balance that with passion. He does give a remedy for this problem. In Revelation 2:5 He tells them to 1) Remember from where they had fallen; 2) to Repent; and 3) to Return ("to the first works return").



This past Sunday we went to the early days of the church in Ephesus found in Acts 19:17-21. There we examined three things that this new church was doing and applied these three actions to the above instruction "to remember." First the church magnified the name of Jesus. That simply means they made Jesus number one in all they did. His name took the preeminence. Sadly, there is much that can be accomplished in a church without magnifying the name of Jesus. Second they confessed their sins and testified to God's deliverance. In short, they were transparent one with another. Imagine the dynamic that would be created if all church members were just honest with each other. And finally, they put away all sins that were causing them to stumble and stray from a godly life. This reminds me of Hebrews 12:1.

It is my prayer that the members of Wakefield will begin to do the actions the early Ephesians: magnify Christ, become transparent one with another, and put away our sinful behavior. I feel that by just focusing on these three actions we can begin to recapture the passion that Christ demands for His church.



Please visit our church at www.wakefieldbible.org