Have you ever gotten so wrapped up in doing something that you forgot why you are doing it? That sounds crazy, and sometimes it's kind of funny when it happens, but it can be very serious. A task that starts out brining us joy and satisfaction can become wearisome and mundane if we forget the purpose and value of it.
That is what happened to the church in Ephesus 1900 years ago, and sadly, it happens a lot in churches today. We get so busy doing "God's Work" that we forget God; we forget who we are serving and why. When that happens, we begin to get grumpy, joyless, and tired. We lose effectiveness, cheerfulness, and may just wander away from the church and the purpose God has for us.
I hope this message will help you think through the great blessing and purpose God has for each of us in and through the local church. I hope that we can learn from Christ's admonition to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 and be filled with the joy of serving from Christ's love.
