LEFT NOT LOST
Text: Rev. 2:1-4
Intro: We need to remember this is Jesus talking to the church and the members of the church, John is not making this up or just talking to hear himself talk.
Jesus starts by commending them-
A) I know thy works and thy labor-ergon, er’-gon-(to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act:--deed, doing, labour, work.
** I know you have worked for me.
B) thy patience,- hupomone, hoop-om-on-ay’ -cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy:--enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).
** Jesus tells them you have put up with a lot waiting on me.
C) and how thou canst not bear them which are evil:
Jesus tells them I know you hate sin and cant stand it.
D) and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Jesus tells them I know you like the real preaching not the watered down stuff.
E) And hast borne- to lift, literally or figuratively (endure, declare, sustain, receive, etc.):--bear, carry, take up.
** Jesus says I know you have helped people with their burdens and lifted them up.
F) and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Jesus tells them you have worked for me and you have not given up you are still in the fight.
Nevertheless - but, howbeit, notwithstanding.
Re 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
TELL TITLE OF SERMON -LEFT NOT LOST
Left means-aphiemi, af-ee’-ay-mee - to send forth,forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go,), omit, put (send) away, remit.
JESUS NEVER SAID YOU LOST YOUR FIRST LOVE HE SAID YOU LEFT IT
** HE DID NOT TELL THIS CHURCH THEY WERE LOST, IN SIN, BACKSLIDEN.
HE SAID I GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING AGAINST YOU.
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO EACH ONE OF US TO GET BACK WHERE WE WERE WITH JESUS.
IF YOU WERE ONCE AT A CERTAIN PLACE WITH GOD AND NOW YOU ARE NOT THERE YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE.
IF WE DO WHAT JESUS TOLD THIS CHURCH TO DO WE CAN GET BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
1. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen,
A) Remember how close you used to be with Jesus.
** The feeling of walking with God, talking with God.
** The great services you use to be in.
** The time just reading your bible and God show up.
B) Remember the day you got saved.
** Nothing can compare with that day.
C) Remember where God brought you from.
A drunk, drugs, a life of ungodly sin.
Ps 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
2. REPENT
A) To be ashamed that YOU let yourself get even a little away from the best thing in your life.
Psalms 51:1-4 KJV 1 <
B) Repent means to have a change of heart towards God.
** WE NEED TO PUT GOD BACK IN THE # 1 SPOT IN OUR LIVES.
Exodus 20:1-6 KJV 1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Ex 23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
GOD HAS GOT TO BE #1
God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having- life with Himself. --Oswald Chambers
3. DO THY FIRST WORKS.
A) What are some of the things yo use to do for God that you don’t do now?
** You use to read you bible everyday but now you dont.
** Some use to sing but now you don’t.
** Teach but now you don’t.
** Come to masters men but now you don’t.
** Come to ladies aux. But now you don’t.
** Come to sen. saints but now you don’t.
** Visit the sick and lost but now you don’t.
DO THY FIRST WORKS
RETURN TO DOING GOD’S WILL.
IT WILL TAKE AN EFFORT, YOU HAVE TO BREAK THE COMFORT ZONE.
B) There is a consequence of not returning to your first love.
Re 2:5 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.
JESUS DID NOT SAY YOU WILL LOSE YOUR REWARDS
HE WILL REMOVE THY CANDLESTICK.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
EVERY ONE OF US KNOW WHERE WE WERE WITH GOD AT ONE TIME,
IF WE SLIP AWAY THE SAME AMOUNT THIS NEXT YEAR HOW FAR AWAY WILL WE BE THEN.
2 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD OR 3 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD?
