Post by Admin on Sept 20, 2018 7:02:20 GMT
One big question came out of the opening discussion tonight: do we feel comfortable and safe being ourselves in front of our bosses or other authority figures, or does our behavior change in those situations? The next consideration: how do we feel knowing that Jesus is among us and observing us? Would we want to put on some special external behavior that “looks good,” or do we feel safe being as we are?
The congregation at Ephesus, we read, were doers. Jesus noticed and mentioned nine positives about their activity, including their strength in discerning and rejecting false teaching. The tenth comment, however, was the killer – that they had lost their first love. After reading the passage, several different ideas were expressed about the congregation. Were they full of themselves and haughty, critical of others who were not doing good? Or were they occupied by the business of church, without hunger anymore to grow in their relationship with God? Maybe they found so much fulfillment and satisfaction in their good deeds, that they forgot that love of the Lord was the purpose behind it all. Most important in looking at this letter to Ephesus is to analyze our reactions and motivations since at one time or another, these and other feelings might describe us.
The concept of “first love” has been a common catchphrase in our church vocabulary. We often take it to mean that blissful and overwhelming desire to please and be with a person such as when we realize we want to marry someone or when we hold our newborn child. Michelle suggested alternatively that we think of our love of God as first always, before other loves. Getting to a state of “first love” is what Jesus encourages us to do. In fact, he sets out the steps to take: look at our actions and attitudes and remember how we loved, then repent (change) to go back to our motivation of loving God, and finally keep doing the work, only for the love of God and not obligation, or ego, or any other purpose. The stated reward for getting back on track is being with Him for eternity. We thought that by living a spirit-filled life motivated by love of God, characterized by love for those around us, then we would be experiencing God’s kingdom already on earth.
The congregation at Ephesus, we read, were doers. Jesus noticed and mentioned nine positives about their activity, including their strength in discerning and rejecting false teaching. The tenth comment, however, was the killer – that they had lost their first love. After reading the passage, several different ideas were expressed about the congregation. Were they full of themselves and haughty, critical of others who were not doing good? Or were they occupied by the business of church, without hunger anymore to grow in their relationship with God? Maybe they found so much fulfillment and satisfaction in their good deeds, that they forgot that love of the Lord was the purpose behind it all. Most important in looking at this letter to Ephesus is to analyze our reactions and motivations since at one time or another, these and other feelings might describe us.
The concept of “first love” has been a common catchphrase in our church vocabulary. We often take it to mean that blissful and overwhelming desire to please and be with a person such as when we realize we want to marry someone or when we hold our newborn child. Michelle suggested alternatively that we think of our love of God as first always, before other loves. Getting to a state of “first love” is what Jesus encourages us to do. In fact, he sets out the steps to take: look at our actions and attitudes and remember how we loved, then repent (change) to go back to our motivation of loving God, and finally keep doing the work, only for the love of God and not obligation, or ego, or any other purpose. The stated reward for getting back on track is being with Him for eternity. We thought that by living a spirit-filled life motivated by love of God, characterized by love for those around us, then we would be experiencing God’s kingdom already on earth.