One Sin We All Need to Stop Celebrating

When you talk about sin in church, you wouldn’t think there is a sin which would be celebrated. After all we are followers of Jesus Christ – we should not be celebrating any type of sin. However, within the walls of the church and outside those walls there is one sin that seems to not only be tolerated but in some circles, it is revered. We tend to embrace it with open arms and even encourage it whether we realize it or not. I would even add there are many in the body of Christ who might not even consider it to be a sin at all.

The sin I am referring to is the sin of busyness.

Be honest, when I mentioned that did you immediately think of it as sin, because many don’t. I know just saying the word busyness may not bring a high level of conviction, but I want to walk you through a passage of Scripture that will hopefully change your mind.

An Analysis of the Church at Ephesus

In the book of Revelation there is a church in Ephesus. Jesus gives this church a message which we are going to analyze. Here is what Jesus said to this church:

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:1-3).

When you look at the first few things Jesus highlights, it appears this church is on top of its game. Look at all the wonderful things this church is doing. This is a hard-working church that is doing good deeds, so they are not lazy at all. Not only are they doing ministry at a high level, they are getting results in their ministry. They are persevering, which means they are not quitters but are pressing through and overcoming challenges to obtain the results they are getting in ministry. They are fighting through fatigue and any other obstacles and appear to be a motivated church. When they set out to do something they get it done. In addition, they don’t tolerate wickedness and when they see or hear anything false, they are quick to point it out. Not only are they working hard, but they make sure they are doctrinally sound. This church appears to be on the frontlines working hard for Jesus.

This sounds like a church you might want to be a part of, and if we are honest this might look like your church. I used to attend a church that reminded me of this one. This is the type of church that is often celebrated in the 21^st century. They are doing ministry, everyone is serving, they are working hard, the church is growing, more people are coming through the door. People are giving of their time, and for some people it seems like every time the doors of the church are open, they are there.

This all sounds good, so what could be wrong with this church? Well Jesus was not finished with his comments.

The Problem in Ephesus

Look at the next thing he says to this church:

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4).

Listen to what Jesus is saying. The deeds they are engaged in are commendable, but he is worried about their motivation. He reminds them you started out doing it out of love for me, but that is no longer the case. There is something else motivating you, and though you are doing many good things, your love for me is not the central focus of your life anymore. There is no longer time for me because you are too busy doing.

This my friends is the sin of busyness. Most churches would celebrate the people who serve tirelessly, and yet Jesus is saying stop for a moment and put the brakes on because something is wrong. I want you to pay close attention to the next thing Jesus says.

“Consider how far you have fallen!” (Revelation 2:5a).

Please don’t take these words lightly. Jesus is asking them to consider how far they have fallen from where they first began. This means that even though they were serving, because they left their first love they had fallen. From the Old Testament God established a principle about priorities in life. Here is what he said.

“And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me’” (Exodus 20:1-3).

Let me clarify this for you – your relationship with Jesus comes first. It doesn’t matter how much you serve, how much you give, or how many other good things you do, this is not the primary reason Jesus saved you. Before you ever serve, give, or do anything else, God desires an intimate relationship with you. This is the first and most important reason Jesus saved you. If anything interferes with your relationship with Jesus or becomes a higher priority, that thing becomes sin because you placed something above your relationship with him. This is how busyness, even good busyness, can become sin.

The church at Ephesus was engaging in good works, doctrinally sound, and productive – yet they had fallen from a great height. I want to reemphasize there is nothing more important than your relationship with Jesus Christ and that must come first. When you are too busy to spend time with him, or too busy to build intimacy with him, then you are too busy and have forsaken your first love.

How Do You Know This Is Sin?

You might be wondering why I am calling this sin. It is simply because Jesus did. Notice what he requires of the church at Ephesus:

“Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5).

What does Jesus ask this church to do? He asked them to repent. As you know, to repent means to turn from what you are doing and go in a different direction. Jesus was telling them to stop prioritizing your life in this manner and go back to loving me first.

Please notice what he said he would do if they didn’t; he would shut the church down. Let me make this application more practical. Jesus is telling the church in Ephesus if serving and doing are interfering with your relationship with me, then stop serving. When was the last time you heard that preached from a pulpit?

Time for Introspection

For just a moment look at your life. What is the top priority? Recently this verse hit home to me because I have a busy schedule. There is no need to list the things I must do, but it is important to note that I was too busy and was neglecting my first love. This should never be, and I had to make the correction. If you are feeling this way, then I encourage you to do the same. There is nothing wrong with the things you must do, just make sure you are not sacrificing your relationship with Jesus at the altar of doing them. If you continue, don’t be surprised if Jesus takes it all away so he can get you to return to your first love which should be your most important priority.

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.