DID AT FIRST

DID AT FIRST:

Adrian Sommeling's "First Love"

The book of “The Revelation,” as it is referred to in the Bible, is probably the most misunderstood piece of literature in history. The Greek word we translate as “revelation” is Ἀποκάλυψις (apokalupsis), which means unveiling, uncovering, or revealing. In Revelation 1:1 we read, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to demonstrate to His bondservants what must transpire immediately…”

As the book begins we discover that it is an “unveiling” both of Jesus Christ, in terms of the fullness of who He is, and simultaneously from Jesus Christ, as divine disclosure of truth, light, and life from God Himself. What is truly amazing about it is that Jesus Christ is both the source of the revelation, i.e. He is the one providing the message as the divine and eternal Word, and He is that which is being unveiled.

As the audience gets to 1:3, we discover that both “the one who reads” and “those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it” are blessed in doing so “because the moment is at hand!” Thus, the final book of Scripture opens with a palpable, looming, and dire sense of immediacy and haste as The Revealer and Revealed, Jesus Christ, discloses to His bondservants “what must transpire immediately… because the time is at hand!”

The message of The Revelation comes to us from John, who identifies himself and begins recalling the account of his ecstatic experience in the opening chapter. John tells us that behind him he heard “a loud voice like a trumpet” giving instructions, and when he turned around he saw something virtually indescribable (see 1:12-16). John not only saw “One like the Son of Man,” in a robe and sash with snow white hair, fiery eyes, and bronze-like feet, but John also describes the booming voice as “the sound of multiple waters.” Along with the majestic figure of Christ, John also recalls seeing seven gold lampstands (the seven churches) and seven stars (the churches’ messengers) in the right hand of the “One like the Son of Man.”

As chapter two begins we must remember the dire mood of necessity and haste previously established. John then witnesses “The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand” walking among the seven golden lampstands and is commanded to “write” the following “to the messenger (star) of the church in Ephesus.” What John initially writes seems to be praise, approval, and blessing for the church’s works, labor, endurance, discernment, and purity. Quickly, the apparent approval is revealed as a stern rebuke! “But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first.”

To the church with a plethora of local and global missionaries, extensive ministries and outreach programs, with a solid orthodox theological framework, with a legacy of steadfastness for the name of Christ in the face of persecution, with a name for the discernment of truth and valid teaching / preaching - for this church John was told to reveal to the messenger of the church in the Lord’s hand, “But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first.” The rebuke didn’t stop there. John goes on to disclose, “Remember then how far you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first. Otherwise I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you demonstrate a change of heart.”

John is told to write three verbs here: remember, repent, and do. The primary verb, remember, requires a group of believers (not written to/for an individual) as a church to stop and reflect on “how far you (plural) have fallen.” There can be no repentance or change of heart if a group has neither a clear history nor takes intentional care to pause and reflect upon it. Every church has a history, but frequently the passion of the initial visionaries is supplanted by the pattern of the world as efficiency, effectiveness, status, and recognition become paramount. This phenomena is what Smith and Pattison refer to as the “McDonaldization” of the local church in their wonderful book, Slow Church.

It is only after a unified group of worshipers stops to remember the original purpose and intent of their endeavor of obedience that they can collectively experience a change of heart (repent) and get back to doing “the works you did at first.” The Revelation reveals that why, how, and Who are eternally more significant and valuable to God than what.

A critical question posed at the beginning of The Revelation therefore becomes: “How will your church respond to The Revelation’s sense of looming immediacy and dire haste?”

The blessings stated at the onset, “Blessed is the one who reads and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it…” are explicitly contingent rather than automatic. Individuals are not simply “blessed” by reading the book, but rather by obediently heralding its message to their local church. The church is subsequently blessed as it recalls its original collective purpose - to bless all the families, tribes, and nations on earth with the gospel of Jesus Christ - and hastily engages in a unified change of heart to that end.

Jesus’ gracious rebuke to the church comes amid seemingly impressive accolades, external appearances, benchmark programs, exceptional ministries, bold faith statements, and orthodox teaching & preaching, and regular adherence to liturgical practices and the ordinances. He tells us first and foremost to remember why we’re doing what we do. Then, Jesus tells us to experience a change of heart and to get back - not just to what we did at first - but most importantly, to remembering why we do it and Who we do it for.

Audio version available >>HERE<<

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com