Untitled Sermon

Email has ruined..the love letter.

Jesus is writing letters to the church…

Revelation 2:1-7 (ESV)

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

To Ephesus

Revelation 2:1 (ESV)

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

From Jesus

Revelation 2:1b (ESV)

‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

Explain lampstands tiki torch? With oil..

Ephesians 1:20-22 (ESV)

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

So Jesus words…the bible is what keeps us lit

Jesus is the Authority

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV)

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

Jesus is the Author

John 5:39 (ESV)

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

Jesus is the answer

Ephesians 6:17 (ESV)

17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

Jesus is our accountability

Recognition

Ephesians 2:2-3 (ESV)

2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.

One minute manager ..sandwich theory..

Last week pastor Kevin said our prayer is our work.. look at what davids prayer to the lord reminds us

Psalm 139:1-5 (ESV)

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;     you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down     and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue,     behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before,     and lay your hand upon me.

The church should be active…

Macc thank you for praying ..for Michael…

Michael pic

Thank you for being involved in small groups..Lew/Nancy

Thank you for serving.. childrens ministry..students.. orange team…

Don’t Grow weary.. Your work is for the Lord.. last weeks baptisms..

Colossians 1:29-2:1 ESV

29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,

This is hard work ..this world is a hard place to love but so are you and Jesus loves you… so love it.. work hard praying and spending time with Jesus and His word.

Rebuke

Revelation 2:4(ESV)

4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

First love..

A burning passion..

1 John 3:23 (ESV)

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

What happens to passion..

Sometimes it gets replaced with tasks…

Knowledge instead of love

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (ESV)

8 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

John W. Ritenbaugh  The Fruit of the Spirit: Love

Paul is saying that pride has the power to corrupt the bearer of knowledge. This statement is part of the prologue to the great chapter on love, written because the Corinthians had allowed their emphasis to drift into the wrong areas. Even as a gift from God, knowledge has the potential to corrupt its recipient, if it is unaccompanied by love.

So love Replaced with legalism .. adulterous woman..

Love is replaced with Self righteousness.. (we start judging others instead of loving them)

We see the world as our enemy instead of our mission field.

Matthew 28:19 (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We become comfortable

In our forgiveness.. in our first love.. we put other things or people before God…we forget that..

.. God is Holy.. no he is Holy Holy Holy creatures in heaven singing non stop…

Revelation 4:8b (ESV)

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,     who was and is and is to come!”

We forget that this Holy holy holy God Loved us so much that he gave his life for us…

Remember and Repent

Revelation 2:5 (ESV)

5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first

Remember.. reflection. What is your true condition..

We are so good at hiding our sin…

Let me ask this in all you do is it out of a love?

Love comes from a relationship with Jesus

If there is no repentance. There is no ability to bear witness for the Gospel.

No love no light ….. On fire for the Lord…

Galatians 6:1-3 (ESV)

6 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

So repent

Greek word, meta nee ah This word means to change the mind or purpose, to change one’s decision. It means to recognize one’s previous decision, opinion, or condition as wrong, and to accept and move toward a new and right path in its place

Remove

Revelation 2:5b (ESV)

. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Why would Jesus do this.. protect you and the church

Church in epehsus barely exists Turkey is 98% muslim we have a missionary there and we have been part of building a church there.. but Christ is in control of her light and wether she shines bright or not. The more

Revelation 3:19-20 (ESV)

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Relate

Revelaton 2:6 (ESV)

6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Jude 1:22-23 (ESV)

22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

1 John 4:8-10 (ESV)

8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Restoration

Revelation 3:7 (ESV)

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Romans 5:17 (ESV)

17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.