DIGGING IN THE COUCH
Revelation 2:1-7
***For the presentation of this message, I set up my platform like a Living Room – complete with sofa, easy chairs, end and coffee tables, table lamps, nick-nacks, etc. I came in initially, as though ready to leave for church, and but unable to find my keys. I spent probably five minutes digging around looking for them. The “house” looked great on the outside, but when I began digging in the couch, all the junk was revealed. With small children, people understood finding Cherrios in the couch… the old Sippy Cup… Crayons… toys… the remote control… etc. My wife sat at the sound booth, and we bantered back and forth in a way that was comical, and broke the ice. If you email me, I’ll share some of the kinds of things we did just for the laugh at the beginning. The premise of the message is the lost keys. Once I find them, the "meat" of the message begins.***
You know, it’s a good thing that I found my keys. I’d be completely lost without them. Like the lady that loses her purse; the man who loses his wallet; I would be completely lost without my keys. I’d be locked out of my house. I’d be locked out of my car. I’d be locked out. I’d be stuck.
If the keys are lost, that’s the first order of business. Before I can do anything, before I can go anywhere, I have to find the keys. And a lot of times, I find them in some dumb place. They fell down behind the desk. Or they’ve slipped between the cushions on the couch. So what am I doing?
I’m on my hands and knees, under the table… behind the dresser… and even digging in the couch. That’s just what we do.
In Luke 15, Jesus mentions that if there was a woman who had ten pieces of silver, and LOST ONE. Jesus said, she would light a candle, and sweep the whole house diligently until she finds it. And when she does, she calls up all her friends, and her neighbors, and says, “Hey, let’s have us a party! I found that piece of silver that I lost.”
Today, we’re going to talk about “DIGGING IN THE COUCH.” Searching diligently for that thing lost until it’s found.
Rev 2:1-7
2:1 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;
2 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:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
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.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
I. The church has LOST SOMETHING…
Not Elton Woods Church specifically, but HIS CHURCH – the GLOBAL CHURCH. Something’s missing. Something’s not quite right. Something’s out of sorts. We have a church with structure, but without power. We have a church with rules, but no convictions. We have a church with money, but spiritually bankrupt. We have a church with talent, but lacking anointing. We have a church with history, but seemingly no future.
The church at Ephesus is the church to whom Jesus was talking. “I know thy works…” He knows. Jesus knows what the church in America is doing today; every dollar feeding the homeless; every cent propelling missions. Jesus knows.
He knows the working of His people. He knows their patience and how they have waited on His appearing. He knows how they’ve endeavored to walk in holiness. He knows those who walk in holiness and who can’t bear evil – HE KNOWS.
He knows how you’ve endured child of God -- how much patience you had. He knows how much you’ve labored for His name’s sake; how you haven’t fainted; how you’ve continued.
It would be great if the passage could stop there. It would be so wonderful if we didn’t have to read on. But a responsible handling of scripture requires that we read into the next line. We have to progress in the message that He’s trying to get across.
“NEVERTHELESS… I have something against you. You’ve left your first love.” Why is it that people will walk away from something they need so badly? Why is it that they can know in their heart of hearts that they NEED the keys. They can’t live WITHOUT the keys? And yet they are careless with them and LOSE them? Why is it? What causes it? Why is it like Jesus said it would be? Why is it that sin is abounding so much so that the LOVE of many is GROWING COLD? (Matt. 24) And it’s repeating itself OVER, and OVER, and OVER, and OVER again.
When I talk to some of these people who seem to fall away for no apparent reason, I’m sort of like Paul when he spoke to the Galatians. “You were running so well. WHO HINDERED YOU that you should stop listening to the truth?” You’ve got what you wanted, but you lost the keys. You got your own way, but you lost the keys. YOU’VE LOST THE KEYS.
God help us, if we lose the keys! God help us if we cease caring about what we used to care about; if we stop being bothered by what OUGHT to bother us. God help us if we LOSE THE KEYS!
II. Because really, they keys are everything…
The keys are our security. The keys are how we can lock our home, and prevent the intruder from breaking in to our houses. They keys are our security. How can we defend ourselves without the keys?
How can we close the doorway to an outside attack, without the keys? The keys are the way we lock the doors against the attacks of the enemy. The keys secure us and keep us safe.
The keys are our transportation. Within these keys, lie the means for me to get from one place to another. I can’t lock my house without these keys. I can’t lock my car without these keys. I can’t get into my house if I’m locked out without my keys. I can’t get my car to go anywhere.
Verse 4 of our text says, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”
In other words, “You’ve left the keys.” Let me just tell you, I have a new-to-me car sitting in the parking lot. It’s just a little 2.4 liter, 157 horse power, 4 cylinder engine. (Hey, it’s tough times. We need fuel economy. NOT zoom-zoom!) We have cruise control; Power Windows, and locks; Power Seats; CD Player; Cassette deck. But none of it is worth a CENT without THIS! (Hold up the key) You’ve gotta have the KEY.
This church provides a lovely home for us. We’re working on it every day to make it a little more lovely. We’ve got Central Heat and Air; a Fireplace; Electricity; appliances; 4 bedrooms; 2 bathrooms; Den; kitchen; dining room; and a two car garage. But none of it is worth a lick without THIS KEY! (Hold up key) I can’t access any of it without the KEY.
Friends, there is FAMILY LOVE in this church. There’s joy from being in His presence. There’s peace in the midst of the storms life brings. There are friendships like you can’t build anywhere else. But NONE OF IT is worth a lick if we lose the key! If we don’t have the KEY – our FIRST LOVE – we don’t have a thing! So what do we do?
III. We gotta go diggin’ in the couch…
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.
In Jeremiah 6:16 we’re told, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”
Where did we miss you God? (Not Elton Woods Church only, but the people of God on the global level…) God where did we trade pleasure for power? Where did we switch the glory for smoke and mirrors? When did we exchange His power for a form of Godliness? Whenever, wherever we lost it, we HAVE TO GET THE KEYS BACK.
IV. Without the keys, the enemy gets a random access to the people of God.
What used to protect us, now it just locks us out of the house. What we used to rely on to defend us, just serves to judge us now. If we forget the key… if we forget our FIRST LOVE… then we’re judged already.
“Remember where you’re fallen from…”
Remember… REMEMBER… you have to remember where you put the key. You have to look for it. You have to seek it out. You have to exercise your memory. Where did I walk away from God? Where did I miss out on His presence? REMEMBER!!!
Remember where you came from. Remember what your walk with God used to be. Remember where you lost the keys. REMEMBER and REPENT!
Repent is more than just saying “I’m sorry.” Repentance is a CHANGE OF MIND, followed by a CHANGE OF LIFE; a turning away from the sin for good. If you feel remorse, and say you’re sorry, but don’t have a life change, then you never repented. Remember and REPENT. Do the first works. Go back to where you first gave your heart to Jesus. Go back to that place where you first knew Him. Find where you dropped the keys, and get them back. Without them, you’re out in the cold.
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.
V. Repentance is our only surety, to keep our light from being extinguished in this equation…
Jesus said to the church at Ephesus, “REMEMBER, REPENT, and DO THE FIRST WORKS. If you don’t, I will come to you quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of its place.” The only hope is to find the keys. The only hope is to go digging in the couch of our lives, and find what we’ve lost.
“God, if we’ve mishandled your love, help us find the keys. God, if we’ve misused your grace, help us find the keys. If we’ve forgotten our first love, help us find the keys. If we’ve lost the light that guided our path, God, help us find the keys. If our church has lost its mission, its vision, or its purpose, Help us find the keys.”
Without the keys, we have no hope. We’ve got to find the keys. We’ve got to find the keys. We’ve got to find the keys.
