First Love

1
First Love

• Overcomers - Part 1 or 7
• Revelation 21-7 Selected
• Cross Creek Community Church
• Pastor Dave Martin
• August 11, 2002

2
Rev. 21-7

• "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write
• These are the words of him who holds the seven
  stars in his right hand and walks among the seven
  golden lampstands 2I know your deeds, your hard
  work and your perseverance. I know that you
  cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested
  those who claim to be apostles but are not, and
  have found them false. 3You have persevered and
  have endured hardships for my name, and have not
  grown weary.
• 4 Yet I hold this against you You have forsaken
  your first love. 5Remember the height from which
  you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did
  at first. If you do not repent, I will come to
  you and remove your lampstand from its place.
  6But you have this in your favor You hate the
  practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
• 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the
  Spirit says to the churches. To him who
  overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the
  tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

3
(No Transcript)
4
1. PREVIEW

• V1a "To the angel of the church in Ephesus
  write
• Ephesus religious, political, commercial
• Famous temple of Diana (Mother Goddess)
• Paul started church here. (Acts 18-19)

5
2. PREMINENCE

• Jesus Christ Himself provides Sovereign
  PROTECTION and AUTHORITY.
• V1b These are the words of him who holds the
  seven stars in his right hand and walks among the
  seven golden lampstands

6

• Romans 838-39 For I am convinced that neither
  death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
  neither the present nor the future, nor any
  powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything
  else in all creation, will be able to separate us
  from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
  Lord.

7
3. PERSPECTIVE

• I know Complete and FULL knowledge, (not
  progressive).
• V2-3 I know your deeds, your hard work and your
  perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate
  wicked men, that you have tested those who claim
  to be apostles but are not, and have found them
  false. You have persevered and have endured
  hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

8
Jesus Knows

• Deeds and labor
• Perseverance
• Spiritual Discernment
• Endurance

9

• Galatians 69 Let us not become weary in doing
  good, for at the proper time we will reap a
  harvest if we do not give up.

10
4. PITFALLS

• V4 Yet I hold this against you You have
  forsaken your first love.
• A Genuine Love test is OBEDIENCE to the Lord.
• John 1415 "If you love me, you will obey what I
  command.

11
Be Cautious of the PITFALL of

• Religious activity - lacking LOVE.
• Legalism - lacking LOVE.
• Complacency - lacking LOVE.

12
God tells us through Paul

• 1 Cor. 132 If I have the gift of prophecy and
  can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and
  if I have a faith that can move mountains, but
  have not love, I am nothing.

13
5. PROGNOSIS

• V5 Remember the height from which you have
  fallen! Repent and do the things you did at
  first.
• Remember
• Think back to where you departed.
• Repent
• An act of the will to change your thinking
• Repeat
• To act upon your changed thinking

14
Hows MY Love?

• Mark 1230 Love the Lord your God with all your
  heart and with all your soul and with all your
  mind and with all your strength.'

15
6. PROMISE

• Overcomers will experience ETERNAL life.
• V7 To him who overcomes, I will give the right
  to eat from the tree of life, which is in the
  paradise of God.

16
Who are the overcomers?

• ALL believers!
• Keep your LOVE alive, growing and evident!

17
Our VICTORY is in JESUS!

• 1 John 54-5
• For everyone born of God overcomes the world.
  This is the victory that has overcome the world,
  even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the
  world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son
  of God.