SERMON NOTES (June 14, 2015): What's First? Series First Love - Rev 2:1-7

SERMON NOTES: What's First? Series

First Love

Revelation 2:1-7

I.                    What the Church was Getting Right, We should Continue to Get Right (vs. 2-3, 6)

a.       Dedicated to Ministerially Difficult Assignment (vs. 2)

       Jesus knows that ministry is difficult (toil) & (perseverance)

b.   Commitment to the Politically Incorrect Truth – 

                                                              i.      Zero-tolerance for evil (vs. 2) – Morality (right & wrong)

                                                            ii.      Thorough Investigation and judgment (vs. 2) “test” & “found” – Morality (doctrines)

                                                          iii.      Endurance amidst persecution (vs. 3) “My Name’s sake” – Ministry w/ a cost

                                                           iv.      Hatred of Human Mediation (vs. 6) “Nicolaitans – Ministry w/o a Mediator

1.       Liberal Mediators- birthed out of resignation toward the law of God, and usually masked with pseudo-benevolence (immoral lost)

2.       Legalist Mediators – birthed out of resentment toward the law of God, and usually masked with pseudo-belief (moral lost)

II.                  What the Church was Getting Wrong, We should Fix in Ourselves (vs. 4)

 a.  This was a church w/ First love for Ministry & Morality. Sometimes a first love can be family, lost, missions, various aspects of church, fellowship, sports, TV, work, hobbies. Must be FIRST LOVE for Lord through family, ministry, work, etc.

 b. Sometimes there is a problem with compartmentalized mentality of faith (ie. God      

      gets this part, first part, etc.) 

III.                The Way Back to Love-Based Faith (vs. 5)

a.       Remember- cognitive recognition of former high points. What did God do in your past? Was there ever a time you were closer to God than you are right now? Why?

b.      Repent- change your mind about your current status. It might look good from back here, but we have to agree with God that it’s wrong. You need God’s perspective. God gets all of me, not just a tithe…

c.       Repeat your first actions of love. Not to do list, a “to love” list. Remember what you did when you first started dating or got married? Wasn’t a to-do list. Wasn’t a chore.

d.   REMOVAL warning: If we don't repent, we are in danger of having the Spiritual presence of the church removed from the geographic location of the church building.