PRESENTATION NAME

1
LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE
Revelation 21-7
2
Introduction

• Revelation chapters 2 3 Jesus addresses each
  of the 7 churches
•  To the angel of the church 
• Could be messenger, preacher
• Could be a heavenly angel
• Hear what the Spirit says vs.7

3
The Ephesian Church

• Beginning Acts 1818 197
• Elders met Paul Acts 2017-32
• Paul wrote them a letter
• Urged them to be rooted and grounded in love
  (317)
• Speak the truth in love (415)
• Walk in love (51)

4
What was wrong?

• Letter begins with high praise
• Work, labor, patience
• HOWEVER 
• They left their first love
• Used for sermons on attendance, faithfulness, etc.

5
What was wrong?

• Just a few years earlier
• Paul was there 55-58
• Timothy was there 60-63
• Now  (early date) 66 OR (late date) 95 major
  departure in 3 up to 30 years

6
What was wrong?

• Galatians 16 So soon removed
• Every congregation is one generation (20-25
  years) away from apostasy

7
First Love, First Works

• First love is not 
• Puppy love
• First crush
• First real genuine love

8
First Love, First Works

• First love first works are connected
• They left their first love
• They should repent and do the first works

9
What are the 1st Works?

• Hear the gospel
• Believe the message
• Repent of our sinful ways
• Confess our faith in Jesus
• Baptized for forgiveness of sins

10
What are the 1st Works?

• They kept -
• Works, labor, patience
• They left -
• Hearing
• Believing
• Repenting

11
Do you remember?

• When you first became a Christian
• Full of excitement, zeal,desire
• Is the honeymoon over?
• Where is the blessedness I knewWhen I first met
  the Lord?
• Where is that soul-refreshing viewof Jesus and
  His Word? - William Cowper

12
Love vs. Hatred

• Return to first love
• Hate the deeds of the Nicolatians
• Revelation 214-15 14 But I have a few things
  against you, because you have there those who
  hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to
  put a stumbling block before the children of
  Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to
  commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have
  those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
  which thing I hate.

13
Love vs. Hatred

• We must do more than disagree with a false
  teaching moral or doctrinal
• We must abhor that which is evil (Romans 129)

14
When are we not a church

• When is a Church of Christ no longer a church of
  Christ?
• We must be a light lampstand candle stick
  to the world
• Shine the glorious gospel 2 Corinthians 44

15
When are we not a church

• When the light fails to shine the lampstand is
  removed
• When a light bulb burns out we throw it away
• Christ is coming QUICKLY
• We think end of time
• Punishment can come NOW!