Losing Your First Love

As recorded in his Revelation, the apostle John was given a vision of heaven and God's plan for the future.  But to start with John was given a guided tour of some churches on earth.  He got to see how some churches look from heaven's perspective.

Today at Lifepointe, we looked at Revelation 2:1-7.  John got heaven's perspective on the church at Ephesus.  It was a good news - bad news review.  The church scored high on doctrinal fidelity and church discipline.  They also weathered some tough times and had persevered through them all.  This church had some good things going - it might be the kind of bible-centered church that you would want to join.

But Jesus' review had some bad news as well.  Really bad news.

Seems for all of their doctrine and discipline, the church at Ephesus had left their first love.  They had lost the key to the the peace and the power of Christian living.  Simply put they lost their INTIMACY with Jesus.

See, they had it at the head level - they were quite well studied, articulate and disciplined in their practice and and preaching.  But they had lost it at the heart level.

They had a church that was coldly correct.

The warm light of the gospel was flickering.  Their lamp was no longer showing the way to the lost and dying of their community.

The passage is a bold reminder that Jesus is serious about His mission to seek and to save those who are lost.  After all, he suffered and died for that purpose.  And it's a reminder that there is no such thing as a heartless faith.

How about you?  Have you left behind your first love - the love you had for Jesus at the first?  Has it gotten lost in good things, religious things, family things?  Like losing your keys - nobody intends to do it.  But once you do, you've lost your security and your mobility.  You are locked out of your home and your car.  Nothing happens until you recover your keys.  You go all out to find them.

Is it time to admit that you've lost the key to intimacy with Jesus?  Is it time to go all out to find it?

If so, the passage gives the way back to personal intimacy and church vibrancy.  Remember the height from which you have fallen.  Repent.  Then start doing the things that you did at first.  What were those first things?  Time with God in prayer?  Time with God in His word?  Talking with others about your faith and His word?  Heartfelt expressive worship?  Daily filling of the Holy Spirit?  Sharing your faith with others?  Why not start doing those things again?  Why not look for and find the keys to Christian living - to personal intimacy with Christ?

for more on this topic hear Pastor Woody's sermon "Reset:  Renew Your First Love" on the sermons page of www.lifepointeindy.com