The stars in the first verse are the angels of the churches (Revelation 1:20). These angels are no heavenly figures; they are the messengers or the leaders of the churches.
Tremendous things were said of the leader of the church of Ephesus: e.g. he could not tolerate wicked people. What a blessing the church would be to the world around if that were still the case today! But if the leader of the church no longer genuinely walks in the light, how should the people in the church then be able to distinguish between good and evil?
The leader of this church tested everyone who said he was a servant of God, and he exposed those who proved to be liars. This was not a matter of ruthless shrewdness; quite the contrary! For it is written of this leader that he persevered and endured hardships for Christ's name. Although such a leader would be highly esteemed with us, God held something serious against him: the fact that he had forsaken his first love.
There are those who lead the flock of God with excellent talents, but such people in particular are a great danger to the church when they have lost the heartfelt devotion of love to their Lord and God. For how are they to give true guidance if they themselves are not guided by their Master anymore?
Therefore, the Spirit of Jesus addresses these leaders in the book of Revelation and calls upon them to repent, and no longer be governed in their work by their own insights but by their love of Him. If not, Christianity in Europe - like it happened before in Asia Minor - will be washed away by Islam.