The first of the churches Jesus writes to in revelation is the Apostolic church in the first century. We are familiar with Ephesus because there is an epistle to that church in the New Testament. The positive points for this church are that they did not tolerate the wicked and interestingly they rooted out false Apostles. This is important to the first churches because it was the launching time for the church throughout the world.
A false Apostle is someone who claim they have been sent (apostolos) but haven't. The way to find a false Apostle is not in the work produced but in the preparation that they underwent to step out in their sending. From that will come marks of Apostleship that include a clear mandate for the biblical church, and end times emphasis and a Christ centered focus. But in all that flows from the Apostle it is vital they have been through the journey that Jesus leads them through. The myth around Apostleship is that it must lead to public / miraculous / thousands in attendance. This is not so as people can be sent to do work that is hidden, depth based and very normal. To be clear Apostles can be involved in the 'big' stuff so we must refer to the preparation of the Apostle to be sure.
Ephesus was a church that had endurance and worked hard. However it was the working hard that took their eyes off the ball. Their devotional life suffered because they were so busy. What a message for today where spirituality is measured by how 'used of God' we are. It is a phenomena of modern day churches that as soon as we love Jesus the church starts telling us he loves us so now we need to get people saved.
'Ephesus' means 'the darling' or 'desired one.' The first century church met in homes around food and this was the ideal. The warning to a church who will not repent of this will be displaced by Jesus. I have been in many churches that have lots of markers that speak of true connection with Christ but may have had their lampstand removed. How on earth can someone make that kind of observation?
Well to me it is quite easy! A church is supposed to be dependent on the risen and glorified Jesus Christ. Many start off with this intention as genuine 'plugged in people.' As they try to make a church work, over time the aims become about the church and not the Lord. The reason this happens is because people try to accomplish a 'streaming' connection with the Lord with methods that were not authenticated by Him. Instead they get a 'download' in the form of a sermon or activities that speak of being a follower of Christ. You cannot 'stream' Christ himself unless you are free from distractions. Ephesus got busy and neglected the Lord. Peripheral issues to do with Christ eclipsed the devotional love relationship with Him.
To Jesus this is a deal breaker if it goes on without repentance!
A lampstand removed doeskin mean people are rejected, it just means the Lord's means of shining His light to this world is passed on to others who are willing to remain in the critical place of 'first-love devotion.' People will still attend this type of church but it will be more about systems, structures, stuff that is about Christ and peripheral activities.
Ephesus did not have the problem of leaders who created ranks within the Body of Christ and this was commendable to Jesus. The Nicolatian Heresy was, at this point just practices. The Apostolic church had ability in knowing how leadership worked from God's perspective but got carried away with the work.
The letter ends with a promise to the overcomer that they will eat from the tree of life. The irony of having access to all they needed in Paradises yet failed to access him on earth is underlined with the reward that is common to all believers. Let him who has ears....
Gary Ward
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