Revelation 2:1-8 - The Absence of Love

Last week we started a series through the book of Revelation. We explored how chapter 1 tells us that the primary aim of Revelation is to reveal Christ to us in dramatic ways that we might find encouragement, clarity, correction, and closeness with God and each other in the strange days in which we find ourselves. We dispelled some of the misuses and abuses of Revelation and tried to set a solid foundation on which we will build. Today we look at Revelation 2:1-7. Chapters 2-3 focus on seven churches throughout Asia Minor to which Jesus writes. They are real churches in a real time facing real situations that demand real answers. The image of seven in Revelation is symbolic of completion; thus, it is a letter to them and also for us today since we are a part of the complete and global church. Jesus addresses each church with his knowledge about their life together. He is telling the church what he sees, knows, and what they need to adjust. So, for six more weeks we will camp out with these churches.

The church in Ephesus was founded by Paul about twenty years after the Resurrection. The accounts are recorded in Acts 18-20. The church was founded by Paul, left in the hands of Priscilla and Aquila and Timothy, and later we believe that John (the author) took over after Timothy was murdered. Tradition tells us that this was Mary’s (the mother of Jesus) home church as she would have stayed with John. What a heritage and what a church. Yet no matter how solid the leaders or passionate the people, problems do and will occur.