Have We Lost Our First Love

King James Version Chapter 6

36 Be ye therefore ymerciful, as your Father also is ymerciful. 37 zJudge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: aforgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 bGive, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your cbosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Luke 6:36-38

Earlier in Luke chapter 6 we see the word ĕchthrŏs (ekh-thros) which literally means enemy or adversary. Jesus literally told the whole crowd that had came to be blessed by him in teaching and both physical and spiritual healing that they must love their enemy.

The Gospel of Luke The Golden Rule (Luke 6:27–38)

1) The Christian ethic is positive. It does not consist in not doing things but in doing them. Jesus gave us the Golden Rule which bids us do to others as we would have them do to us. That rule exists in many writers of many creeds in its negative form. Hillel, one of the great Jewish Rabbis, was asked by a man to teach him the whole law while he stood on one leg. He answered, ‘What is hateful to thee, do not to another. That is the whole law and all else is explanation.’ Philo, the great Jew of Alexandria, said, ‘What you hate to suffer, do not do to anyone else.’ Isocrates, the Greek orator, said, ‘What things make you angry when you suffer them at the hands of others, do not you do to other people.’ The Stoics had as one of their basic rules, ‘What you do not wish to be done to yourself, do not you do to any other.’ When Confucius was asked, ‘Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life?’ he answered, ‘Is not reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.’

Every one of these forms is negative. It is not unduly difficult to keep yourself from such action; but it is a very different thing to go out of your way to do to others what you would want them to do to you. The very essence of Christian conduct is that it consists, not in refraining from bad things, but in actively doing good things.

ĕchthrŏs, ekh-thros

This love is a form of Agape which literally means love feast. Agape is doesn’t run out; Agape doesn’t fail where we as humans fall short; Agape is patient; Agape is kind; Agape is infinite!

When Jesus says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over...”, He is not talking about money but mercy that is available for all Christians who obey his Royal Law.

It was customary for people to wear robes that could be modified by adjusting the robe and the girdle to hold things. In other words what Jesus is saying is that men will fill your pockets when you show mercy and love. God will bless those who bless others. Out of the abundance of your heart will the mouth speaketh. So let me ask you this, whats in your heart?

Timothy

1 and 2 Timothy was written roughly between 60-70 AD by Paul who was imprisoned under Nero’s reign in Rome. We know that it was after this letter was written that the Apostle Paul was martyr’d 68 AD. It is suggested that Timothy settled down as the Bishop or Apostle to Ephesus, but there where some specific things we can find in Paul’s letter to his son in Christ:

King James Version Chapter 1

6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou qstir up rthe gift of God, swhich is in thee tby the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us uthe spirit of fear; but vof power, and of love, and wof a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

Here we see that Paul wrote to Timothy while under persecution for preaching and teaching the truth. A few verses later, Paul describes that he too faced persecution as the Apostle to the gentiles.

For today:

God did not give us a spirit of fear!

We must be willing to stand for what we believe as Christians

Are we Christians first?

God’s Spirit is not a spirit of confusion, but of sound mind

This does not mean that God won’t take the wheel from time to time in our lives, but it does mean God will not speak to you in things that go against His word.

The enemy once was an angel of light.

Notice that the gift of God must be stirred up and that there where those appointed in the Church as elders.

So let us take a moment and understand something provided by :

If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, God will stir something within your heart that say’s, “I’ve got to spread this good news.” There will be something that says my friends, family and coworkers need to know about the saving grace, strength, and power of Jesus! The spirit of timidity that Timothy faced will not be able to terrify the inner-evangelist out of you!

It doesn’t end there though, let us read 19-21.

King James Version Chapter 4

18 There is no fear in love; but sperfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth eis not made perfect in love. 19 tWe love him, because he first loved us. 20 uIf a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, whe is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God cxwhom he hath not seen? 21 And ythis commandment have we from him, zThat he who loveth God love his brother also.

- 1

In 95 AD, right before Timothy died in 97 AD, John wrote the famous Apocalyptic book, Revelation. John writes to the seven churches and seven Pastors, or angels, of the churches. Many Biblical Commentaries associate the Pastors as the angels based on the use of the greek word. I would agree with this, but also be comfortable and saying that God plants an angel around every Church.

John writes to Ephesus first. This is where Timothy pastored prior to 97 AD. John addresses some very important issues in Ephesus.

The New Revised Standard Version The Message to Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are 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. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. 3 I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember then from what 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.

It is very possible that John in part was addressing the false teachings of the Nicolaitans and how some had fallen away from true doctrine. If any of this doctrine had seeped into the Church, the result would most likely be idolatry and alteration of who the church worshiped. The Church would have lost its first love God.

Not only this, but in 1 Timothy, Paul directs what works should be done in the Church in order to edify the body of Christ. Ephesus’ issue was not embracing the Nicolatans doctrine if one reads -

The New Revised Standard Version The Message to Ephesus

6 Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Rev 2:6

The Tyndale NTC views one of the reasons being they lost their love for one another.

Could it be that fear seeped in and kept the Church from being the Church and made them forsake the assembly of gathering together. I don’t know about you, I know I don’t want to make this mistake. I don’t want God to remove my name from the lambs book of life because I failed him. I want him to welcome me into heaven and say well done thou good and faithful servant.

Prayer