When Technique Eclipses Relationship—part 3

WHEN TECHNIQUE ECLIPSES RELATIONSHIP—Part III—Revelation 2:1-7

Firstless Love

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 relationship with Jesus from lapsing into a technique.

What occurs when technique overshadows relationship?

Liabilities of a relationship that is eclipsed by technique.

When technique eclipses relationship our...

1. ANGEL is Liable(:1)

2. WORK is Liable(:2a & 3)

3. STANDARD is Liable(:2b)

4. JOY is Liable(:4)

5. DISTANCE is Liable(:5a)

6. INFLUENCE is Liable(:5b)

7—When technique eclipses relationship

Our HATRED is Liable(:6)

—Explanation:(:6)

“ ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

Rev. 2:14-15—Consistencies are—Aberrant Teaching/Stumbling block/Disregard for what is holy/Immorality—Perverted satisfaction of flesh thru base desire

—Argumentation:

2Jn. 1:9-10—“Anyone who goes too far & does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father & the Son. If anyone comes to you & does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, & do not give him a greeting;”

—Illustration:

Me taking a bath as a kid/Hated it/Went thru motions of bathing/When Older—appreciated being clean/Now my ‘hatred’ is of being dirty—Bath is enjoyable—Look forward to it/Not a necessary evil/HATRED Liable

—Application:

?Our HATRED fallen prey to technique rather than relationship?

?Your technique eclipsed your relationship with Jesus?

8—When technique eclipses relationship

Our EARS(hearing) are Liable(:7a)

—Explanation:(:7a)

“ ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ...”

“Let him hear”—The willful means by which we comprehend God’s direction.

Involves the Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength

?What is the Spirit saying?— “Repent”

—Argumentation:

“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, & with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”

—Illustration:

Ellinor with the ice cream/After breakfast/I say ‘No!’/She whines to Momma/No not acceptable/Her EARS(hearing) Liable

—Application:

?Our EARS(hearing) fallen prey to technique rather than relationship?

?Your technique eclipsed your relationship with Jesus?

9—When technique eclipses relationship

Our PARADISE is Liable(:7b)

—Explanation/Argumentation:(:7b)Healing

“...To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’”

“Overcomes”—nikaw—Conquers/Prevails/Victorious/(In Law—Win one’s case.

“Grant”—God wills it to those whom He has chosen.

“Eat”—Continual willful partaking of God’s offering.

“Tree of Life”—Spoken of in Gen. 3:22-24—

“Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good & evil; & now, lest he stretch out his hand, & take also from the tree of life, & eat, & live forever”-- therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; & at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, & the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

“In the Paradise of God”—

Rev. 22:1-2—“And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God & of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; & the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

‘When Adam transgressed, he was expelled from this garden, & no more permitted to eat of the tree of life; hence he became necessarily mortal. This tree, in all its sacramental effects, is secured & restored to man by the incarnation, death, & resurrection of Christ.’—Clarke

Our freedoms are still intact yet the felsh is perfectly denied. The tree must be continuously & willfully eaten of in order to maintain life.

We are preparing ourselves for heaven.

—Illustration:

Before Christ/Hell with my buddies/My life revealed what Paradise was to me

—Application:

?Our PARADISE fallen prey to technique rather than relationship?

?Your technique eclipsed your relationship with Jesus?

—CONCLUSION—

Action:

When technique eclipses relationship our...

HATRED is Liable(:6)

EARS are Liable(:7a)

PARADISE is Liable(:7b)

ANGEL is Liable(:1)

WORK is Liable(:2a & 3)

STANDARD is Liable(:2b)

JOY is Liable(:4)

DISTANCE is Liable(:5a)

INFLUENCE is Liable(:5b)

Presented 03/10/02am to;

Providence Baptist Church

975 Providence Road

Whigham, GA 31797