FIRST LOVE
Notes
Transcript
FIRST LOVE
REV. 2:1-7
February 13, 2005
Addressed to the angel of the church in Ephesus or to the church at Ephesus. This church represents the real church at that time and also represents a time in the church age. It represents the beginning of the church age when the church was young. The word Ephesus means "DESIRABLE." In this early church Jesus was central.
This message is from the glorified Judge, Jesus Christ who is seen in this vision as one who walks in the midst of the churches on earth.
This is written not just for the benefit of the believers at that time but is applicable to believers today. All scripture is for instruction, warning, and encouragement.
In this passage we find that Jesus found some things right with the believers that made up the church of Ephesus, what He found wrong with them, and what He said would right the wrongs.
We can apply these things to our own lives and be encouraged, warned, and instructed so that we can have a great relationship with the Lord.
READ TEXT: Revelation 2:1-7
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
I. WHAT JESUS FOUND RIGHT (V.2-3,6)
Works
Labor for Christ
Patience
Christian Integrity
A. Works
The people were diligent in their good works.
They were constant and persistent.
B. Toil & Endurance
They not only worked for the Lord but worked hard, toiled.
They endured for the Lord, they calmly persevered in all situations.
C. Christian Integrity
They had a real zeal against evil. They walked in separation from the world. No one had any doubts that they were believers. Some Christians today try to blend into the world, and end up compromising their beliefs and convictions which weakens their witness for Christ in the world.
Not all groups of believers have Christ at the center of their worship and activities.
Some churches don't preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Some don't invite others to accept Jesus as their Savior.
Believers in Ephesus could not bear those who were evil.
The church of Ephesus challenged those who claimed to be apostles.
They wouldn't stand for people who didn't believe in what the Word of God proclaimed such as: The Virgin Birth, the Deity of Christ, the Blood atonement of Christ, bodily resurrection of Christ, Salvation by Grace through Faith, and the bible as the Holy Scriptures, the very word of God, inspired, without error and infallible.
They were praised because they despised of the evil deeds of the Nicolaitains who were a group trying to introduce false freedoms in the church. The word Nicolaitains means "to conquer the people" This group favored the a Priest system which was designed to control the people. This same group is working today
II. WHAT JESUS FOUND WRONG (V.4)
He found that the believers had departed from their initial heartfelt affection for the Lord.
"Thou hast left thy first love."
A. Lost First Love
Ill: Remember your Elementary school first love?
The natural affection you had for Christ when you were saved.
Do you remember?
That natural love for the Lord is the height of spirituality.
To leave this kind of love is the first step to a very serious
fall.
B. Fruit
Jesus knows if we are yielding fruit as a believer. He knows if we are producing.
In Matthew 7 Jesus speaks about fruit trees, that a good tree can only bear good fruit and a bad tree can only bear bad fruit.
Eventually the bad fruit trees will be cut down and burned.
ILLUS: Like the citrus trees that are cut down and burned here in Yuma.
But in Matthew 21 we see what Jesus does to a fig tree that is suppose to have fruit on it but did not. He said to it "May you never bear fruit again!" immediately the tree withered.
Jesus used this as an example of believers without good works, he had just been to the Temple and drove out all the money changers and those who were buying and selling in the outer courts.
We must produce fruit, if we are not, we have forgotten our first love...Jesus
III. WHAT JESUS SAID WOULD RIGHT THE WRONG (V.5)
A. Remember
Jesus said, "Remember the hieght you have fallen! Repent."
Remember when you were first saved.
You wanted to tell others about the great joy and peace you had knowing Jesus.
Remember how much happier you were then.
Remember how much better it was then.
B. Repent
Christ said to repent,
to change your attitude,
to change your mind,
to change your purpose,
to change for the better.
to change the direction of your life back toward Jesus.
C. Do
Do those things that you did when you first accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Go back and do your first works
Those works came from your heart and were proof of the genuine love you had for the Lord.
CONCLUSION
Jesus said that if we do not want to remember, repent and do those things again as we did when we first loved Him, He would remove the lampstand.
The lampstand is our testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ.
He says he will remove us, if we hurt the cause of Christ with our lifestyles, we our words, with our lack of love.
A. Encourage Us
Those who overcome
B. To Challenge and Conquer
He gives us strength to challenge the evil around us and to conquer in His name.
C. Tree of Life
We are encouraged with the last verse here, Jesus reminds us that He gives us eternal life.