Revelation 2:1-7 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things said he that holds the seven stars in his right hand… I. ITS INDICATIONS. How can we discern the subtle beginnings of this decline? At the outset, let us clear away an error which has been the source of perplexity and even needless despondency to some earnest men. The loss of the first freshness of spiritual emotion is not necessarily a decline of spiritual love. The early excitement is not strength — true strength comes when it passes into action. The early splendour of the morning is beautiful, but who would wish that it should never melt into the stronger glory of the noonday? The first emotions of childhood are beautiful, but who would not exchange them in all their freshness for the calm, sober power of manhood? So in Christian life: the young excitement must mature into more quiet but abiding power. We must, then, look deeper than the changefulness of emotion to detect the signs of declining love; we must enter into the very nature of love itself, and we shall find them there. 1. Love is profound self-sacrifice. In love the soul comes out of the sphere of merely personal life: the thought of the "I," and the "mine," are no longer supreme; they almost vanish in living for another. A man's self becomes associated with another self, and the two souls become one in devotion. Therefore, when our life finds another centre, and the world, or its friendships, or its ambitions, create our ruling emotions; when to be alone with God is no longer blessedness; when prayer loses its inspiration; when we begin to trust in our own power — to rest in self, and be coldly contented there; when the feeling rises, "I am rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing," knowing not all the time that "we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind," then the light of love is fading, and earthborn clouds are quenching its brightness. 2. Love proves its reality by the resemblance it creates to the beloved. No man can long conceal the fire that burns on his heart's altar, so no true Christian can conceal his love to Christ. If we do not grow more true, more holy, more submissive, our resemblance to Christ is .growing fainter and our love is declining. 3. Love proves its reality by its courage m confronting opposition. Therefore, when men can turn us aside, when expediency can mould us, when we stand like cowards looking back lingeringly on the path we have forsaken, afraid to return, afraid to go on; when, in the midst of a sinful generation, we are ashamed of Christ, and deny Him by selling our Christian principle for gain, truth for peace, devotion for safety, Christian profession for the friendship of the world — then is the fire of our love going down, the altar becoming cold, the temple growing dark, and "we have left our first love." II. ITS DANGERS. 1. It renders the Christian a hindrance to the power of truth. A man professing to live for Christ, professing to be inspired by an infinite love, professing to believe in a glorious immortality, and yet cold and indifferent! The world reads that, and what wonder that it mocks at faith? Like an iceberg, such a man stands between the world and the sun of God's gospel, chilling its warmth, and killing its power. 2. The inner coldness of heart is the beginning of denial in the life. The man whose love is declining is going on a path that will soon lead him into open denial, for when spiritual love lights not his altar, there are dark powers ever slumbering near that will kindle another fire there. The man's besetting sin is never far away, and it will soon crowd his circumstances with temptation. And this danger is all the greater because it is so silent. III. ITS REMEDY. 1. "Remember." It is sad work to look back over the past, and trace the path of failure and decline. The decay of all beautiful life is sad, but sad it is indeed when a man can trace it in his own soul. It is well to be thus sorrowful; it is a blessed thing if the tears do fall! 2. But rest not in mournful retrospect. "Repent, and do the first works." Go back to the Cross of Christ, and gaze there till your coldness is melted and your love springs afresh. (E. L. Hull, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; |
    |