Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Context:
Revelation 2:1-5 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Interesting to compare this first church and it’s accomplishments to what we have today.
Is the church of today known for it’s:
- Works?
- Labour?
- Patience?
- Separation?
The Church of today is a “come as you are, never call out sin, love everyone and accept them in their sinful state”. To get as close to the world as possible and slap a Christian sticker on the box and sell it for $19.95
We’ve all heard the phrase Hate the sin and love the sinner.. But that just isn’t scripture. God loved us so much that he Gave His only son.. So that people can get saved and be transformed into a new creature.. Not just pick and choose the sins you don’t want to offend! Jude 23, 1 Peter 3:12
Note: vs. 2 .. and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
The church that pleased the Lord called these false religions and churches out for what they were! Liars!
But we’ve rather left our first Love
2 Peter 1 starts off identifying a Christian that seeks to build his life on the things of Christ and lists the “ladder of faith” But look at vs 8
2 Peter 1:8-9 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
He Left our First Love
In Matthew Chapter 6 we get an overview of how God tends to the needs of the simple things: the sparrow, the flower, what we eat, drink and wear…
We find a 2013 statistic that 121 Million people are diagnosed with clinical depression… Countries and areas that have a greater access to technology show to have more than 36% higher rate of a Manic depressive episodes.
They’ve left their First Love
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Society has created a burden of reliance on things other than God…
We have left our first Love
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
In the areas of the raising children we have left our first love
Society has moved to a mindset that it takes a village to raise a child when nothing could be further from God’s truth. It is the parents responsibility to raise a child in the way they out to go.. The other half of the trouble is the direction parents are raising their kids to go!
Society says that you let a child choose their own path as whether they want to go to church; so churches have become havens of entertainment rather than a place to worship God.
Yesterday at the preachers fellowship there were less than 5 men under the age of 35. At bible colleges across the country women out number men 2 to 1 as we see the spiritual decline of men and preachers in this country.
We are living today in a society that prevails that single parenthood is superior to God’s plan for the home. It is encouraged by TV and pop culture as a better way of self reliance. But it is NOT how God intended it to be.
- Out of 12.2 million single parent families in 2012, more than 80% were headed by single mothers.
- Today, 1 in 3 children – a total of 15 million – are being raised without a father.
- 4 out of 10 children are born into unmarried homes.
- So how do we deal with it. Recognize that there is a difference between single parents by circumstance verses single parents by choice. The issue of single parents by choice is what has created a divide in the home and corrupted the balance that God has with a husband and a wife raising the children together.
- Single Parents by circumstances that desire to raise their children for God need the help that the church can provide. But that needs to be their desire. Too many families look to the church today as a free baby sitting service and not as a place where God meets and blesses His people
It’s Time to come Home
Luke 15:20-24 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
2 Corinthians 13:5a Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you…