The Reformation of the Heart

The sermon, delivered on the anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, uses the letter to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2 as a powerful call to spiritual renewal, warning that even a church marked by diligent labor, doctrinal purity, and steadfast faith can fall into spiritual deadness when its first love for Christ is lost. The preacher emphasises that strong convictions—whether in service, orthodoxy, or perseverance—can become a substitute for genuine devotion, leading to a cold heart that performs duties without joy or intimacy. Drawing from the Ephesian church's decline, he illustrates how love for Christ wanes gradually, marked by diminished delight in prayer, Scripture, and fellowship, and replaced by worldly distractions and self-centered priorities. The remedy is not mere guilt but a divine call to remember one's spiritual beginnings, repent sincerely, and actively return to the foundational practices of devotion, which alone can restore the vibrant relationship with Christ. Ultimately, the message is a sobering yet hopeful exhortation for personal, family, and ecclesiastical reformation, rooted in the conviction that nothing is more essential than loving Christ above all else.