WHEN TECHNIQUE ECLIPSES RELATIONSHIP-Part I—Revelation 2:1-7
OR Firstless Love
A man who spends all his time at work—Neglecting his family in order to do it—Forgetting that his initial drive for the work is to meet his family’s need.
Jesus reprimanded the Ephesian church because their first love for Jesus had taken second place & lapsed into technique/maintenance.
The local church must prevent her realtionship with Jesus from lapsing into a technique.
What occurs when technique overshadows relationship?
10 liabilities of a relationship that is eclipsed by technique.
1—When technique eclipses relationship
Our ANGEL IS LIABLE(:1)
—Explanation/Argumentation:(:1)Angel/Head/Point man
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ...”
“The Angel”—
Mal. 2:7; 3:1—“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, & men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger[angel-Kalm] of the LORD of hosts.”....“Behold, I am going to send My messenger[angel-Kalm], & he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; & the messenger[angel-Kalm] of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.” both John the Baptist & Jesus are rendeered by the typical word for angel.
This says something about responsibility of leadership...
Heb. 13:17—“Obey your leaders, & submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy & not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”
Jas. 3:1—“Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.”
“...The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:”
Liable to Jesus.
Pastor is Undershepherd to Jesus.
2Cor. 11:2—“For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.”
Heb. 13:20; 1Pet. 5:4—Great & Chief Shepherd—Implies Undershepherds & responsibility.
—Illustration:
Our dog Molly/So excited about neighbor’s boat—Flew off porch so fast that she misses her step/Grinds face into grace/Nearly flips over/Head answerable
—Application:
?You make available your giftedness to aid your Angel?
?Our ANGEL relied on technique rather than relationship?
?Your technique eclipsed your relationship with Jesus?
2—When technique eclipses relationship
Our WORK IS LIABLE(:2a & 3)
—Explanation:(:2a & 3)Involvement/Programs/Ministries
:2a—“‘I know your deeds & your toil & perseverance,...”
“DEEDS / WORKS”—Focus upon the Enterprises, Employment, Undertakings involved in.
“TOIL / LABOUR”—Focus upon the weariness resulting from the work.
Not lazy—Put their nose to the grindstone
“PERSEVERANCE/PATIENCE”—‘Steadfastness, Constancy, Endurance’. Won’t easily give up the ship.
:3—“& you have perseverance & have endured for My name’s sake, & have not grown weary.”
Reversed word order in RT & MT.
“PERSEVERANCE / PATIENCE”—Same as above.
Jas. 1:3-4—“...knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect & complete, lacking in nothing.”
“ENDURED / BORNE / PERSEVERED”—bastazw—Take up with the hands—Bear, Carry
“FOR MY NAME’S SAKE”—That Jesus may be known.
“NOT GROWN WEARY”—
KJV adds—“Laboured & ....not fainted”
—Argumentation:
Eph. 4:11-13—“And He gave some as apostles, & some as prophets, & some as evangelists, & some as pastors & teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.”
1Cor. 15:58—“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
Php. 1:6—“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Php. 2:12-13—“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will & to work for His good pleasure.”
—Illustration:
Family meals/New mother/Prepare meal anticipating giving best for family/1st Love/ OR Drudgery/Put food on table but neglect bonding time.
—Application:
?Our WORK fallen prey to technique rather than relationship?
?Your technique eclipsed your relationship with Jesus?
3—When technique eclipses relationship
Our STANDARD IS LIABLE(:2b)
—Explanation:(:2b) Doctrine/Testing
“... & that you cannot endure evil men,...”
“ENDURE / BEAR”—bastazw—Take up with the hands. Sustain, Carry, Support, Walk with.
“EVIL MEN / THOSE WHO ARE EVIL
“...& you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, & they are not, & you found them to be false;”
“PUT TO THE TEST / TESTED”—Temp, Test, Try, Prove.
“APOSTLES”—Other than the 12 were apostles—Paul, Barnabas, Timothy, Sylvanus/Silas; Andronicus & Junias.
“FALSE”—Not true to perception.
‘1st Baptist Ephesus’ boldly —Stood against Evil & Counterfeits
—Argumentation:
2Cor. 11:12-15—“But what I am doing, I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.”
—Illustration:
Car choice/Chevrolet—Dodge—Ford/Attitude—Window stickers/Everything revolves around hatred rather than enjoying & declaring the pleasures of your car/We defined by that STANDARD
Church choices/Define ourselves by who we are not rather than by Whose we are./Defined by that STANDARD
SBC/Hatred of anything NOT Southern Baptist/Defined by that STANDARD
—Application:
?Our STANDARD fallen prey to technique rather than relationship?
?Your technique eclipsed your relationship with Jesus?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
When technique eclipses relationship our...
ANGEL is Liable(:1)
WORK is Liable(:2a & 3)
STANDARD is Liable(:2b)
CHILDREN’S- ‘Mowing the Grass’
When I was a boy, I couldn’t wait to be responsible for mowing the lawn.—Outside—Pay—Appearance—Exercise—Please parents—All in one activity! Who could ask for more.
But...
As I continued to mow the grass week after week, I lost my zeal/love for the task.
Remember how excited you were when your brother, sister or cousin was borne.
Wanted to hold them.
BUT...
Hold a baby for a long time—Tired of doing it/Diapers—Spit—Puke — Baby food—Toys—Pictures, etc...
How did you love that baby at first? Did your love change?
Presented 2/17/02am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 31797
