PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR THE SERMON BY LOOKING THROUGH THESE SUGGESTIONS THAT WILL ASSIST YOU IN MAKING THE MOST OF OUR TIME TOGETHER HEARING GOD'S WORD.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Which church is being addressed in this section of Revelation?
• What is the reason for this church being addressed? Why are they being spoken to?
• What are the descriptions of the one who is speaking to this church? Who is this?  
• What are the activities of this church that are described in verses two and three? Are these good or bad attributes?
• What is the nature of the contrast in verse four? What is being contrasted?
• Who is the “you” and “your” referring to in verse four and following?
• What was the first love?
• What does it mean to leave a first love?
• How does verse five connect to verse four?
• What is the consequence if the Ephesian church does not remember, repent, and do the deeds they did at first?
• What would it mean for the Ephesian church to have their lampstand removed?
• What is the nature of the contrast in verse 6? What is being contrasted?
• Who are the Nicolatians? Why might they be referenced at this point in the letter to the church in Ephesus? (Read Rev. 2:14-15).
• Who is supposed to listen to this message to the church in Ephesus according to verse 7?

Prayerfully Meditate

• Revisit your answer to question three. Why might these descriptions/titles be used of the one speaking to the church in Ephesus? Why would these specific titles be important in light of the error of this church? Write out some thoughts for each description.
• List out the commands in this passage? (Hint: there are 5)
• What do these commands reveal about the appropriate response to leaving a first love? How might these commands apply to modern day churches?
• Where is “where you have fallen” referring to? What was this place from which they have fallen?
• Consider various ways a church might fall away from their first love. How might this happen?
• How would returning to the “deeds you did at first” be helpful for this church?
• Read Genesis 2:7-17. How does this passage relate to Revelation 2:1-7? What does this context reveal about the significance of Revelation 2:7?