TITLE: Left 1st Love
TEXT: Revelation 2:1-7
PROPOSITION:
QUESTION: What?
KEY WORD: Explanations
Introduction:
Chapters 2-3 – Jesus addresses each of the 7 churches
To the angel (messenger, elder, preacher) ?
What the Spirit says to the churches – vs. 7
The Ephesian Church
Beginning – Acts 18:18-19:7
Elders met Paul – Acts 20:17-32
Paul wrote a letter to them – Ephesians
Urged them to be “rooted and ground in love” 3:17
Speak the truth in love – 4:15
Walk in love – 5:1
Timothy was there for some time – 1 Timothy 1:3
What was wrong?
Letter begins with high praise – work, labor, patience
However – left first love
Often a text for sermons on attendance, giving, evangelism, faithfulness
Just a few years – early date of Revelation (3 years); late date (20 years)
Paul was there – 55-58
Wrote to Timothy – 60-63
Every congregation is one generation (20-25 years) from apostasy
Galatians 1:6 - “so soon removed” - it can happen quickly
First Love, First Works
This is not – puppy love, first crush on someone
Here – first love and first works are connected
What are the “first works” - and we can learn the first love.
Hear
Believe
Repent
Confess
Be baptized
What had they kept?
Works, labor, patience
What had they left – abandoned, quit, stopped?
Hearing?
Believing?
Repenting?
Do you remember when you first became a Christian?
Is the “honeymoon” over?
Have you lost the excitement, zeal, desire?
Where
is the blessedness I knew when I first met the Lord?
Where is that soul-refreshing view of Jesus and His Word? - William Cowper
Love vs. Hatred
Return to first love
Hate the deeds of the Nicolatians
See Revelation 2:14-15 – compare to Baalam, fornication, immorality
We must do more than disagree with moral or doctrinal error
We must “abhor that which is evil” - Romans 12:9
When is a Church of Christ no longer a church of Christ?
We must be a light – lampstand – candlestick – to the world
Shine the glorious gospel – 2 Corinthians 4:4
When the light fails – the lamp is removed
When the bulb burns out – throw it away.
Christ's coming is “quickly”
We often think in terms of – punishment deferred until end of time
Some punishment can occur - sooner
From Spiritual Sword article by David Pharr