DID YOU FORGET SOMETHING?
PSALM 103:2
Introduction:
1. Just like many other people, I seem to always forget to do
things, or I forget where I put something.
a. An excellent example of this is the fact that I lose
my Bible almost every week and forget where I sat it
down.
2. One of my enjoyments of life is watching sports.
a. I really enjoy basketball and football, but I will also
watch tennis, baseball, golf, etc...
b. Although I enjoy watching these, I really don’t "pay
attention" to what is happening until the last quarter
or the last couple of minutes of the game.
c. Why is that?
1. The reason is simple, it is because no matter
what happens during the game, my main
concern is the outcome; who is going to win?
2. The unfortunate part of that is many times I
hear about great plays and things that
happened by other people that I missed out on.
3. With Revival Services starting Wednesday, we are in
essence in the last quarter.
a. Big Deal! Right?
b. I’m sure we will have many more opportunities and
many more Revival Services.
c. Or will we?
4. I believe we are already seeing Revival begin, but will it
last?
a. If it is to last this time, why has it not in the past?
5. About 2 months ago on a Wednesday night, everyone
broke into groups to pray and Tharon came up and asked
if he could pray with me.
a. I was very touched that my son wanted to come pray
with me, so while I dried my eyes a little bit, I asked
him to pray first.
b. Now remember at 7 years old sometimes we hear
things and repeat them a little different from what
they are.
c. Let me share with you a portion of his prayer.
6. "Dear God, thank you for loving the world so much that
You sent Your only forgotten Son to die for us on the
cross".
7. We all know, including Tharon now, that the verse says
"His only begotten Son"; but this really made me stop and
think.
a. We wonder why we don’t see a spiritual awakening
or even a spiritual awareness not just in our world
but even in our churches today?
b. It is because we generally live our lives in a way that
has forgotten who we are as Christians, Who we
serve as Christians, and why we serve Him.
c. Let’s look at some Biblical examples of churches this morning that have forgotten some things and the solution that God has for us to start fresh.
I. Forgotten Love Revelation 2:4-5
A. The Problem (vs.4).
1. This was an active church.
a. It had not went off into heresy.
b. It had not brought disgrace to the name of Christ through immorality.
c. So what did they do?
2. The spirit of love had evaporated out of people’s hearts.
a. The church services became an empty show.
b. We can have the best building, the best music,
perfectly planned services; but if it is not all
done in love for Christ, it means nothing and
God is displeased.
3. The people of this church had lost their first love.
a. They were going through the motions out of
obligation, not out of love for God.
b. Why are you here?
c. Why do you want to see revival?
B. The Solution (vs.5).
1. Remember.
a. Remember how you loved Jesus when you first
met Him.
b. Now stop and compare that to now.
c. What makes a Christian work for Christ?
1. Love.
2. Remember when you enjoyed serving
Christ?
2. Repent.
a. Do you see a gap in how you live now versus
how you used to live for Christ.
b. To get back to the first love, you must repent
and put your focus back on Jesus Christ.
c. When we are living in unconfessed sin, we will
see a gap in our relationship with God, but He
is not the One that caused that, we are.
C. If We Refuse? (vs.5).
1. He will come quickly and remove their candlestick.
2. We are to be a lighthouse, but if we refuse to do that,
God will get us out of the way.
3. Do we need to be removed?
II. Forgotten Teachings Revelation 2:14-16
A. The Problem (vs.14-15)
1. Compromise.
a. This church was tolerating immorality,
idolatry, and heresies.
b. In essence they allowed the world to lead them.
2. Balamism today is worldliness.
3. Nicolaitanes means "to rule" and "the people".
a. Evidently their were some in the church that
had their own agenda.
b. The only agenda we better have is the one
given to us by God.
c. Political maneuvering will only create big
trouble for a church.
B. The Solution (vs.16).
1. Repent.
a. Who leads you, God or man?
b. If it is not God, you better repent!
2. Decide who you are going to follow.
a. God or the world.
b. You choose.
C. If We Refuse? (vs.16).
1. Jesus is coming to judge.
2. Christ is warning those who are not being faithful to
either "clean it up" or He would do it for them!
3. Would you be among the faithful or unfaithful?
III. Forgotten Devotion Revelation 2:20-26
A. The Problem (vs.20).
1. This church was a going, growing church, always
on the job for the Lord.
a. But all of a sudden there is a black spot.
b. The black spot was Jezebel.
2. This church tolerated a cult of idolatry and
immorality.
a. We see today that there are many religions and
cults spreading very quickly and you know
what, we tolerate it.
b. What happened to Christians having a
"backbone" and not allowing "garbage" like
this to find its way into our churches?
3. We must take a stand for our faith.
B. The Solution (vs.25).
1. Hold fast.
a. Don’t give up.
b. Don’t get the attitude of "If I can’t beat them,
I’ll join them".
2. When you stand for your faith, you may take some
hard shots, but don’t quit.
a. We were never promised an easy road.
3. Repent.
a. If you have allowed yourself to be led astray,
repent.
C. If We Refuse?
1. Jesus said He had given them ample time to repent
and they had refused to do it.
a. Therefore, Jesus was left with no other choice,
but to pronounce judgment upon Jezebel and
her followers.
2. Do you have some unconfessed sin in your life?
a. God is giving you time to repent of it and get
rid of it.
b. If you refuse, what else can God do but come
upon you with the sword of judgment.
3. For those that follow some one or something else
other than Christ and never are saved, there sorrow
and punishment will be for all of eternity.
a. Many today are being led astray and will suffer
for all eternity.
b. Who are you following?
IV. Forgotten Christian Living Revelation 3:1-3
A. The Problem (vs.1).
1. The church had everyone "fooled".
a. There reputation was of a live church, but
Jesus said they were dead.
2. This church was functioning from accomplishments
of the past.
a. At one time this church was doing great things
for the Lord, but now all they had left were
memories of the "good old days".
3. They were like artificial flowers, they looked good
from a distance but when you get up close, you
realize that they are "fake".
a. The results:
1. None saved.
2. No repentance.
3. No harvest reaped for the Lord.
b. They were still going through the motions, but
that was all.
B. The Solution (vs.2-3).
1. Be watchful.
a. Wake up!
b. Be on your guard, lest sin and the world creep
in and rob you of your spiritual power.
2. Strengthen the things which remain.
a. The works that were still going, keep them
going; but put some life back into them.
b. How? Do them for Christ!
3. Remember all the things that they had received and
hold them tightly.
a. Remember how it was when Christ was first
place in your life?
b. Remember how God has blessed your life?
4. Repent!
C. If We Refuse? (vs.3).
1. Jesus is telling them "repent or else".
2. If we refuse, He will come upon us like a thief.
a. Those who are living for Christ are ready for
Christ to come back, but those who are not
living for Christ fear His return because they
know they are not ready.
b. Are you ready?
V. Forgotten Concern Revelation 3:15-19
A. The Problem (vs.15-19).
1. This church was "lukewarm".
a. You know what that means?
b. They didn’t care what happened.
c. They knew what sin was, but they tolerated it.
1. They knew that there was lost people out
there, but they didn’t try to win them.
2. They just didn’t really care.
2. They were unconcerned, inconsistent, compromising, complacent, worthless Christians.
3. They were wealthy!
a. They didn’t need anything, they had it easy.
b. Sound familiar?
B. The Solution (vs.19).
1. Repent and go in a new direction.
2. Don’t just tell God you are sorry, but really mean it
and show it by starting fresh for Him.
3. That is what true repentance is!
C. If We Refuse? (vs.16).
1. Jesus said this makes Him sick and He will reject
your games.
2. We better stop playing church and start coming to
serve the Lord before we are spit out.
3. Do we cause Jesus to rejoice or do we turn His
stomach?
Conclusion:
1. In verses 20-22 we hear our compassionate Savior as He
says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him,
and sup with him, and he with Me."
2. Jesus is standing outside the door and pleading with us to
let him in our hearts, and in our churches.
a. Jesus won’t knock the door down.
b. He just gently knocks and ask to come in.
3. We have forgotten way to long!
4. It’s time!
