Eucharist - Restoring Your First Love – Getting Right With Love

Introduction

Today we are looking at words of Jesus not words that he spoke during his 33 years but words that he said in a vision of John

Words written to the Church of Laodicea

As we are talking about Communion with God

Revelation 3:14-22

Revelation 3:14–22 LEB

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: “This is what the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation, says: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! Thus, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth! Because you are saying, “I am rich, and have become rich, and I have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and pitiable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire, in order that you may become rich, and white clothing, in order that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and eye salve to smear on your eyes, in order that you may see. As many as I love, I reprove and discipline. Be zealous, therefore, and repent! Behold, I stand at the door and knock! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, indeed I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

How do we know it is Christ speaking

Revelation 1:17-19

Revelation 1:17–19 LEB

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead person, and he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, and the one who lives, and I was dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades. Therefore, write the things which you saw, and the things which are, and the things which are about to take place after these things.

And then again in the beginning of the address to every church

In this passage he is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation

Amen meaning that he is the perfect human. Promised to the people the messiah.

Where is Laodicea

Is a city that is no longer in use found in southwest Turkey

It was a very wealthy city

Had a famous school of medicine. Where a a special ointment known as Phrygian powder was manufactured. This powder was famous for its cure of eye defects . They also had an ear ointment that was manufactured there.

A six mile-long aqueduct brought Laodicea its supply of water from the south. The water was from a hot springs so it was lukewarm by the time it reached the people.

This church is neither cold nor hot just like their water supply not very tasteful. The Passage says I wish you were either hot or cold. Which is not to say I want you to either accept or reject, but I want you to be hot and healing or cool and refreshing. I don’t want you to stay in a situation of Indifference.

They say I am rich. They are a wealthy city. They have a famous medicine for their eyes, and yet they are spiritually poor and blind.

Why are they in this condition?

Because they have kicked Jesus out of the church. Often when we hear verse 20 we hear about asking Jesus into the heart. But in its context it is speaking to the church let me back in. The master of the house knocking expecting to be greeted immediately.

Remember your first love

Remember your first Love

Remember what it was like when you first became an adopted member of God’s family through the blood of Jesus.

Can you?

I remember when I first became. I felt good, Excited, Nervous. Wanted to tell people not sure who to tell. I was nine.

Life is full of up and down. The confusion of things

What blocks our relationship with God?

Sin

Time

Absence - Absence makes the heart go fonder not in this case when we forget to spend time with him it blocks our relationship Make since if I don’t see someone for years may still be friends but we aren’t close. Or perhaps it’s been so long that we take it for granted. This blocks our relationship because we don’t appreciate the relationship like we first did. This can happen in marriage too by the way

Self - Focus not on God but on our selves

Parents - Our view of our parents effect the way in which we see the heavenly Father. Come from an abusive family the idea of father may make you cringe. May be just emotionally absent or distant father. Think of God as just an out there doesn’t care 

Plan a father-daughter date or father son outing with God just to spend time with him. Go to a favorite spot or a quiet place where you can be alone with your Father longer the better. Don’t worry about what to say

We are told we must be like babes

I think of my girls. They don’t worry about what to say. They just climb up and start talking. Talking about Needs, Things they want, Things they did, Stories, Worries even two year old feel stress.

Let Him love you. If you were hurt in the past, Talk about it. Ask him to heal the pain. Ask him to forgive you and cleanse you. Let him reveal his love to you

My be another reason

Next Steps

Is there something blocking your relationship?

Our lives can be like a cup filled with Gods anoint and Holy Sprit. But over time things poke holes in this cup and the anoint our closeness with God begins to slip away.

Pray to God to heal your relationship and he will

Pray that he will restore you love and he will

As we close where are you with your relationship with God

Need to start a relationship

Need confess

Need prayer

Need help setting up a quiet time