(ef'-e-sus) (Ephesos, meaning "desirable"): A city of the Roman province of Asia, near the mouth of the Cayster river, 3 miles from the western coast of Asia Minor, and opposite the island of Samos. With a harbor accessible to the largest ships, standing at the entrance of the valley which reaches far into the interior of Asia Minor, and connected by highways with the chief cities of the province  Ephesus was the most easily accessible city in Asia, both by land and sea.  See map

Ephesus, at the time of the writing of the Revelation, was a city of great importance in Asia Minor. This city, with an approximate population of 225,000 was the gateway to and the capital of the Roman province of Asia and as such it was a city of great wealth, great culture, and great corruption both politically and socially. Of the seven churches of Asia Minor, Ephesus is the only one that we can trace to the beginning.

It is believed Paul established this congregation of God's people on the heels of Apollos who came through before him.  On Paul's third missionary journey he remained there two years preaching in the Jewish Synagogue (Acts 19:8,10).  As a result of this, "all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks" (Acts 19:10).   Timothy was an evangelist in Ephesus when Paul wrote both letters to Him.  The church in Ephesus had elders, "And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church" (Acts 20:17).  Thus we learn that the church in Ephesus was a tremendous influence on the spreading of the gospel throughout the Roman province of Asia. 

This church was not a tiny little congregation of the Lord's people nestled away in a remote community.  This congregation was the result of years of evangelism and instruction by Apostles and other great teachers.  This congregation was directly involved with the evangelism of the entire province of Asia.  This congregation was large and influential, located in one of the richest cities in all of the Roman Empire.  Thus the Christians in Ephesus developed a satisfied complacency in their service to God and allowed themselves to become a little too full of themselves.  As such they were not motivated by love and it appears that they desired the praises of men more than the praises of God. It is with this background that Christ addresses this Church.

The message to them was threefold.  Hard times are on the horizon, stop loving yourselves and return to your first love or suffer eternal consequences and he that overcomes will eat of the tree of life. 

Revelation 2:1
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:"

As discussed earlier this is Jesus Christ who walks among the congregations of His church which is His body over which He rules as the head.   

"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted."

Jesus calls attention to the good qualities the church was exhibiting.  They were rich in works and labor, they were being patient and faithful, they had encountered people who were evil and they could not bear them.  They had confronted and exposed false prophets.  They had worked for the name of Christ and not given up in spite of some pretty severe persecution. 

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."

Notwithstanding all the good works they had done, Jesus had something against them.  The importance of being a well rounded Christian complete and sound in the faith cannot be overstated.  We are commanded to Love Christ "out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned" (1 Timothy 1:5), and to "follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22).

Going through the motions of Christianity is not enough.  Evangelizing, visiting the sick, helping the widows and afflicted is for nothing if it not done out of love for Christ and for each other.  We are His bride, a bride is expected to love her husband. 

"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

These Christians had fallen away from their first love.  They were going through the motions of Christianity but they didn't have their hearts in the right place.  They were told to repent.  Their departure from their first love was sin and Jesus said if they did not repent and return, He would remove their candlestick.  This can only mean one thing.  Christians of the first century were warned by Jesus Christ that they could lose their standing as a congregation of His church.  And they were doing everything right with only one exception and if they did not fix the problem, they were going to be rejected by Christ. 

The Church who would claim Jesus as her head cannot depart or deviate from the truth and trust in their righteous deeds to pull them through.  All of the good deeds and works we can do will not erase unrighteousness.  Jesus was unwilling to overlook this one thing in favor of all the rest of the good things they were accomplishing.  The importance of this cannot be overstated.  An entire congregation of the Lord's church can lose their candlestick, their light, their standing, their fellowship with Christ over a single shortcoming, except they repent. 

"But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

How significant this is that Jesus would mention the Nicolaitans at this time.  The Nicolaitans started their apostasy with a single transgression.  They had been around for a while when Revelation was written, but in the beginning of their existence they started by eating meat sacrificed to idols.   There was a lot of pagan worship going on in the Roman Empire and many of them included animal sacrifices.  When these sacrifices were completed, the meat from the dead animals was used for huge public feasts.  The Nicolaitans wanted to participate in these feasts and they did so in transgression of God's will (Acts 15:29).  This was the beginning of their apostasy.  As time went on, they assimilated many of the other idolatrous pagan practices into their worship until it resembled nothing of Christian worship.   How fitting for Jesus to correct a church who was guilty of only one transgression and then conclude with an example of one that likewise started with one transgression and ended up far worse.  When Jesus mentioned the Nicolaitans to the Ephesian church, He used them as an example of where they could end up starting with but a single transgression. 

The application for us today is the same.  We are to be diligent to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15), contending earnestly for the faith that was once delivered (Jude 3), realizing and accepting that the commandments of men constitute vain worship in the eyes of God (Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:7).  Apostasy no matter how far from righteousness it may be in then end, starts with a single departure from the truth.  Jesus' warning to the church at Ephesus has just as much significance for the church today as it did for the church in Ephesus 2000 years ago.

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

Finally, Jesus makes a promise to the faithful of Ephesus.  He was saying to them and to us today that He will give eternal life to those who remain faithful and overcome all obstacles and remain faithful to the end.  The application for us today is no different.  Christians of the 21st century are not any different than those of the 1st.  God's will has not changed in 2000 years.  Those of us today who hope to inherit eternal life must overcome and endure to the end. 

Sermon Outline: The Church Who Left Her First Love – Ephesus
Author: David Hersey of the church of Christ at Granby, MO

I. Introduction to Ephesus

• A major Roman city, rich in culture, commerce, and corruption

• Paul helped establish the church; Timothy also labored there

• Highly influential in evangelizing the Roman province of Asia

II. The Commendation of Ephesus (Revelation 2:2-3)

• Jesus acknowledges their good works, labor, and patience

• They opposed evil, exposed false teachers, and endured trials

• Outwardly active and faithful, but something was missing

III. The Condemnation: They Left Their First Love (Revelation 2:4)

• Despite all good deeds, their love had grown cold

• Love must be the foundation (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22)

• Christianity is not just duty—it is devotion

IV. The Call to Repent (Revelation 2:5)

• Remember how far they had fallen

• Repent and return to earlier love and devotion

• Warning: Christ would remove their candlestick—loss of standing as His church

• One sin unrepented would undo all good

V. The Example of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6)

• Nicolaitans began with small compromise (eating food offered to idols)

• Drifted into full apostasy by mixing paganism with Christianity

• A subtle warning to Ephesus: one sin is a seed of destruction

VI. The Relevance Today

• Apostasy begins with a single departure from truth

• Good deeds do not excuse doctrinal or spiritual neglect

• The church today must guard against drifting into lifeless formality

• Remain watchful and rooted in both love and truth

VII. The Promise to the Overcomer (Revelation 2:7)

• To those who endure and repent: eternal life

• Access to the tree of life in God’s paradise

• The same reward awaits faithful Christians today

Call to Action:

Let each of us examine our hearts and our congregation. Are we still motivated by love for Christ, or have we grown comfortable with mere routine? Do we hunger for God’s approval or the praise of men? Christ’s message to Ephesus is His message to us: remember, repent, and return to your first love—or risk losing the very light that identifies us as His. Don’t allow small compromises to grow into spiritual ruin. Reignite your love for the Lord and hold fast, that you may eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God.

Scripture References with Key Points:

• Acts 19:8–10 – Paul’s evangelism in Ephesus led to widespread knowledge of the gospel

• Acts 20:17 – Elders existed in the Ephesian church, showing its maturity

• Revelation 2:1–7 – Christ’s full message to the church at Ephesus

• 1 Timothy 1:5 – Love from a pure heart is the aim of Christian teaching

• 2 Timothy 2:22 – Christians must pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace

• Matthew 15:9 / Mark 7:7 – Vain worship results from following human doctrines

• Acts 15:29 – Christians were commanded to abstain from things offered to idols

• 2 Timothy 2:15 – Be diligent to rightly divide the word and be approved

• Jude 3 – Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered

• Revelation 22:14 – The tree of life is promised to those who do His commandments