" REMEBER YOUR FIRST LOVE" | Revelation 2:1-5

Introduction:

Good morning and welcome. Thank you for coming. I glad that you pause everything that’s demanding your time and attention to take care of the most important aspect of your life, feel your soul and spirit. (keep Scripture reading, prayer and practicing the word of God daily.)

Let me encourage you to continue to set aside time daily for prayer and worship.

Know that, I will continue to pray with and for you and your household as long as Christ continue to give me the strength.

Reading the Text | Rev.2:1-5 (New Century Version)

“Write this to the angel of the church in Ephesus:

“The One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands says this: 2 I know what you do, how you work hard and never give up. I know you do not put up with the false teachings of evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles but really are not, and you found they are liars. 3 You have patience and have suffered troubles for my name and have not given up. 4 “But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning. 5 So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first. If you do not change, I will come to you and will take away your lampstand from its place.

Please join me in prayer:

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your Holy name. We through the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

HOW DO WE REMEMBER?

Psychologist says, the art of “Remembering” requires the following steps:

Observation-watching someone or something carefully

Analysis-Looking at the details(examination)

Interpretation-discerning the “meaning”

Response- Your reaction verbal, or behavior

HOW DID THE CHURCH START? HISTORY

The church begun by Priscilla and Aquila who brought the Gospel to the city who were left there by Paul one his second missionary journey.( Acts 18:26). Ephesus was both a major port city and the site of many temples, including a large one dedicated to goddess Artemis (see Acts 19:27)

The great Apostle pastor the church for 3 yrs and after, Timothy Pastor about a year.( 1 Tim.1:4)

Issues- the church was battering idol worship in the society and falsehood within the congregation - Unscriptural ideas such as forbidding of marriage and eating certain food.(1 Tim.4:3)

According to Biblical scholars, 30 years later Jesus write to the Church in Ephesus, The Pastor, elders and members of the great church.

This Church was ROCK-SOLID

Commendation| Congratulation

FOR: Hard works, patient endurance | Sound Doctrine and holding fast to “Truth”

Did not put up with or allow false teaching or evil

Jesus looked at this Church and knew it’s condition and what they did RIGHT.

DESPITE ALL THAT

Despite all that great work for all those years of faithful to the truth of the Gospel of Christ

All those years of laboring for the great name of Jesus. “BUT” Or nevertheless I have this against you, YOU HAVE LEFT | ABANDONED YOUR FIRST LOVE.”

Notice: They had it at one time in their walk with Christ and they did not have it anymore.

Leaving something is a deliberate act. The Church did not loose their first love, they left or walked away

“LOVE”

The word “love” in this text is the Greek word is “AGAPE”

According to Rick Renner a highly respected Bible teacher and leader in the international Christian community, in his one his YouTube videos on this Scripture: SAYS “Agape- occurs when an individual sees, recognizes, understands, and appreciates the value of an object or a person, causing him /her to behold this object or person in great esteem, awe, admiration, wonder, and sincere appreciation.” - THE ART OF REMEMBERING

ROCK-SOLID CHURCH

From all indicators that we can employ today, to determine a growing Church such as: Budget, Active membership; weekly attendance, offering and tithe, active ministries, maybe a vibrant music ministry and a growing children ministry; you will agree this is a happening church. Everything from the outside, this is a great church

SERIOUS PROBLEM

But with all that, this church had a serious problem a heart disease that could be fetal. Jesus was displeased with this Church concerning that heart by which it did ministry.

Anything Jesus is displeased with in your life is a serious problem that needs your immediate attention

NO LOVE- THE CHURCH WAS A LOVELESS CHURCH FOR CHRIST AND EACH OTHER.

Christ wants our HEARTS NOT our hands and feet.

Isaiah 29:13 (CSB) “The Lord said: These people approach me with their speeches to honor me with lip-service, yet their hearts are far from me, and human rules direct their worship of me.” The church was cold at heart and mechanical, no passion for Christ.

The motivation for why we do what we do as a Church most be rooted in our love for Christ

THE PROOF OF KNOWING JESUS

1 John 2:3–6 CSB

3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: 6 The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Remember you first love- and if you have left your first love Christ invites you to think about it. Repent -ask him to forgive you. He is ready and looking forward to receiving you.

DO THOSE THINGS YOU DID AT FIRST LIKE PUTTING HIM FIRST EVERYDAY

WALKING IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

DEEP DEVOTION TO CHRIST YOUR FIRST LOVE

KEY THING WE MUST LEARN

Sometime we must learn from this church. They discriminated -rightly judging people who claim to be Apostles or you can called it Discerning Or Testing - by this, they safeguard their purity and did not accept any teachings that did not aligned with the Apostle early teaching.