LifeGroup Discussion Guide
Let Them Hear Sermon Series
Week One: Ephesus
In Revelation 2:2-3, we see Jesus commend the Ephesian church for their doctrinal correctness and moral purity. They persevered through trials and remained steadfast. However, in verse 4, comes the warning - they had lost their "first love" for Christ. They were going through the motions of religious activities but had lost the fervent love that should have motivated them.
John Stott, William Barclay, and Warren Wiersbe provide valuable insights into this loss of first love. Stott sees it as spiritual decline, Barclay as a decline in enthusiasm, and Wiersbe as a cooling of spiritual passion. These interpretations help us grasp the various dimensions of the Ephesian church's struggle.
The Ephesian church was doctrinally sound and morally upright, yet they lacked intimacy with Christ. This warns us against falling into the trap of religious complacency. Our faith should not be merely about checking boxes or going through rituals; it should be a passionate pursuit of a loving relationship with Jesus.
We often fall into the trap of thinking the things of God are sacred substitutes for God himself. This wasn’t a bad church by many of our church performance metrics. This wasn’t a wayward church by way of practice or doctrine. But this was a church that had forsaken intimacy with Jesus for service. They had gotten over busy/occupied and failed to guard this depth of intimacy. And over time they failed to see how far they had gotten from loving Jesus. Jesus would describe this condition as fallen. "Oh how you have fallen."
Now this word to fall is a terrifying word. When you go through the Old Testament and you find out how this category fits theologically, it's devastating. Theologians use the term to describe Adam and Eve's rebellion as the fall. This is what it means to fall. And when we talk about the fall of Satan, it says, oh, Satan, the Morningstar, how you fallen from heaven, the idea of fallen always means, it always implies an independent separation from God, a dependence on self. And Jesus says, remember the height from which you were fallen.
To fall in the economy of God's kingdom is to be about good deeds without great love. Sacrificing intimacy with God for productivity for God is to fall. It is to give up the better part. The Ephesian church was doctrinally sound and morally upright, yet they lacked intimacy with Christ. This warns us against falling into the trap of religious complacency. Our faith should not be merely about checking boxes or going through rituals; it should be a passionate pursuit of a loving relationship with Jesus.
To understand how to remain in our first love, we can look at Jesus' baptism. Before He began His public ministry, the Father declared His pleasure and love for Jesus. Notice the timing of this verse. Jesus was yet to cast out demons, raise the dead, confront the Pharisees, train His disciples, die for our sins, or be resurrected from the grave; yet, the Father tells Him that He is pleased with Him. Jesus, until this point, had been labouring in obscurity as a humble carpenter; so what was the Father pleased with? It couldn’t have been His ministry or His teaching or His leadership, as these were yet to happen. What had Jesus done that made the Father proud? The only glimpse we have of Jesus in His early years is in the temple, seeking to be about His Father’s business. Jesus had spent thirty years cultivating an abiding passion and love for God. Could it be that God is most pleased not with what we do for Him, but with the life of love we cultivate with Him?
The letter to the Ephesian church challenges us to examine our hearts and rediscover our first love for Jesus.
Discuss these questions.
Read Revelation 2:1-7. What stands out to you in Jesus' message to the church of Ephesus? How do you think they felt upon hearing this commendation and rebuke?
What does it mean to have a "first love" for Jesus? How would you describe your own experience of encountering Jesus for the first time, and how has your love for Him evolved over time?
The church of Ephesus was known for its hard work and perseverance in serving Christ. Why do you think it is possible to be active and busy in church activities but still lose sight of our first love for Jesus?
In what ways can we become complacent or distracted in our faith journey, leading to a diminishing passion for God? Share any personal experiences or observations.
How can we cultivate a deeper intimacy with God amidst the demands and distractions of our daily lives? Share practical ways to prioritize your relationship with Jesus.
What can we learn from the church of Ephesus about balancing works and love in our Christian walk? How can we maintain a sincere heart of love in our service to others and to God?
Discuss ways we can encourage and support one another in keeping our first love for Jesus alive. How can we hold each other accountable and spur one another on in love and good deeds?