The Bearing, Patience, Labor and not Fainting of Ephesus Revelation 2:3

After John the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of “Revelation”, he began to write to the “seven churches in Asia”. He began with the church located in “Ephesus”, and he added, “I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you cannot not bear them which are evil: and you have tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars”. In chapter two and verse three of Revelation, John shared Jesus' words of how Ephesus had, “borne, had patience, labored and not fainted” where we read:

And have borne, and have patience, and for my name's sake have labored, and have not fainted.

The verse begins, “ And have borne, and have patience, ...” John began with the words, “and have borne” which means “have taken up with the hands, carried or put upon themselves something that is burdensome”, “and have patience” or “and have steadfastness, constancy and endurance”. Jesus recognized and acknowledged how the church in Ephesus was “constant and enduring” as they “carried burdensome things”.

The verse continues, “... and for my name's sake have labored, and have not fainted.” John added the words, “and for my name's sake” or “and on behalf of Jesus' cause and reason” “have labored” which means “have grown weary, tired and exhausted with toil”, “and have not fainted” which refers to “growing weary or sick”. Not only did the church at Ephesus “carry burdensome things” in a “constant and enduring” manner, but they also “continued working” for Jesus' name.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we admire the qualities found in the church in Ephesus. They “carried burdens”, and they “endured” while doing so. They also “worked tirelessly” without stopping their efforts for Jesus' name. God Almighty desires to have a relationship with people who are committed to Him and His cause. This is the result of a personal relationship with God's Son Jesus, and when a person receive Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they are to follow the pattern set forth by the church in Ephesus to “bear, have patience, labor and not faint” for Jesus' name sake.

Next time John shares how Jesus told Ephesus, “I have somewhat against you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.