Remember Your First Works Or Else
By Trevor Davis
6-16-2019

Revelation 2: The Assembly at Ephesus.
Jesus has a letter written giving the believers an urgent message. (against mere ideology)

Jesus acknowledges their labor, toil and perseverance. The disciples had not become weary by the opposition that comes with holding to the gospel and Word of God. However, they have left their first love.

Jesus commands that they remember from where they had fallen, repent, and do the first works. Give this some thought. Do you remember when you first came to the Lord with your whole heart? What was going on within you? This is what Jesus is referring to about the first love and the first works. He calls His people back to that.

Today we see the masses of people “making a decision for Christ”. What a peculiar idea. That is so foreign to what the scriptures reveal. Jesus certainly stated that “no man can come to Me unless the Father draw him”. People do not just decide to come to Jesus. Spirituality is foolishness to the flesh.

I am thinking about those who were in a real bind one way or another. A place where they were in the deepest despair and trouble and knew they had no way out. From that bottom they new that God was dealing with them and they finally surrendered. “Oh God save me”, was their cry.

“This poor man cried and the Lord answered me.” A common experience to those who call upon the Lord in sincerity.

Some people were reaping the ways of their sin. Destruction, misery, confusion, health failure, emotional and mental disorder, depression, hopelessness and the sense of total separation from God. And this is what the Lord is saying “remember”.

From that point most disciples found the Lord answering in so many ways. Though God is invisible it became so obvious He was doing what only God could do on our lonely part. Man was of no help. Doctors, drugs, sin, what ever, nothing that this world could offer could bring us out of our dilemma.

They experienced the delivering power of God. The burden was lifted off their shoulders. They could sense the nearness of God. The comfort and love, even peace which they had not known before. God was communicating to their heart and mind. He was showing them things they had never thought or seen before. The scriptures were alive to them. They spoke volumes. There was heart-felt conviction of right and wrong. Even the things they thought were normal became things they knew to avoid. There was a knowing sense what pleased God and what did not. The amazing thing was from this new heart experience with God they now desire to be close to God instead of pushing Him away. They now know they need God. A true love for Him is birthed.

Those were the days. This is what Jesus is referring to when He calls the disciples who had a lot of good things going spiritually, but they lacked these inner dynamics with God that were evident in their outward lives. Remember Jesus says. See where you are now and how you have fallen to that state. Repent. Do the first works. The Lord calls them back one by one to hear Him again. Sense Him. Draw near to Him.

I find it amazing just how serious this is with Jesus. He threatened to remove their lamp stand. That is not a common thing to understand these days. We have to realize that today's church experience is nothing like what the Lord intended or what is illustrated in scripture. The lamp stand is the activity of the Holy Spirit that gives all the graces manifesting God among His people. It's His witness as seen in a bright light evidenced to all.

I believe this is true because it was recorded that in the religion of Israel and Judah they went through religious motions too just like the Ephesians. The time came when God withdrew His Holy Spirit. Jeremiah states that the people did not even ask “where is the Lord”. Can you imagine that? Well, that goes on all the time. People get used to not having the witness and nearness of God. They do not inquire of the Lord “what's wrong Lord?” They go countless days having grieved and quenching God.
Finally, God withdraws and writes, I C H A B O D. The glory of God departed. Jesus calls this, “removing the lamp stand”.

And this is why there is so much religious motion but no power, glory and witness of the Spirit of God in the midst of religious enterprise to this day. Is it possible for any true disciple to find this acceptable? What is it to have religious gathering without Jesus in the midst and His great power demonstrated by the Holy Spirit? It is only empty powerless religion.

We are talking about Jesus making spiritual assessment of His people. It is not enough to have some things right but the most vital ignored. Jesus will tell you the truth and call you to remember, repent and do the first works of your first love. Or else...