III. THE MISSING INGREDIENT

(Ephesus In Trouble)

Subject: Love

Theme: Our motive for working for the Lord has to be love.

Purpose: To help us return to our first love, or the love we had at first.

Text: Rev. 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. The Church At Ephesus.

1. Labour: This was a working church.

2. Patience: This was a patient church.

3. Evil: They hated evil.

4. False teachers: They tried those who claimed to be teachers called of God.

5. Persevered: They had persevered and endured hardships in Jesus name and had not grown weary.

6. Deeds: They even hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes just as the Lord did.

(a). Nicolaitanes: The name means, "to rule the people."

(b). What the Nicolaitanes taught was the "doctrine of Balaam."

(c). The name Balaam means "the lord of the people.

(d). In Revelation we are told about the doctrine of Balaam--- Rev. 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

(e). The doctrine of Balaam is the teachings of false teachers.

(f). Balaam taught Balak how to cast a stumbling block before God’s people.

(g). This is very much the teachings of Catholicism with their hierarchy and this church hated that.

7. This was a church that any pastor today would be thrilled to pastor.

B. Their One And Only Problem.

1. They had left their first Love.

2. A problem serious enough that it over rode all their good qualities

C. The Results (Consequences) Of This One Problem.

1. Rev. 25... ; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

2. To remove their candlestick means to remove their authority to be a church.

3. The Lord is patient and He is longsuffering, but He demands that His bride (church) be spotless and without blemish--- Eph. 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

II. WHAT WAS THEIR FIRST LOVE?

A. How Important Is Love?

1. All the Lords commandments hang on love--- Matt. 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

2. Love was the very reason that Christ died on the cross to save us.

(a). Not that we loved Him, but that He loved us.

(b). 1John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

3. What was it that the Lord ask Simon Peter after Peter had denied Him three times? Three times the Lord asked him, "Simon, do you love me?"

B. Their First Love.

1. Rev. 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

(a). Had they left Christ?

(b). Was their first love souls of men, had they left off soul winning?

2. Let's read the Greek words of this verse in the English language, arranged exactly like they were arranged in the manuscripts that the translators used.

(a). Rev. 2:4 But I have against thee, that thy love first thou didst leave. Remember therefore whence thou hast fallen from, and repent, and the first works do:

(b). Notice that they had not lost their first love, they had left it.

3. What they had left was not the object of their love, which would have been Christ, but they had left love out, as being the motivating factor or their reason for doing all the good Christian works they were doing.

(a). What we do for Christ is not the only important thing, why we do it, our motive for doing it, is equally important.

(b). John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

(c). He did not say "if you are afraid of me," or "because it is your duty", He didn't even say, "because of what I have done for you, obey my commandments." He said "IF YOU LOVE ME."

(d). The only acceptable motive in serving Christ is love.

C. When It Comes To Serving Christ, Motive Is Paramount.

1. When we stand before the Judgment Throne of Christ He will judge our works, that includes our motives for doing those works.

2. Remember, the Lord searches our heart and He does know our motives--- Jer. 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

3. Look at what the Apostle Paul had to say about love being the motive for all works--- 1Cor. 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

III. CONCLUSION.

A. Do You Really Love The Lord.

1. Matt. 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

(a). "My parents brought me into this world!" No they didn't. They were simply the vehicles the Lord used to get you here. The Lord brought you into this world.

(b). The Lord is to be loved supremely, He brought you and your parents into this world, and He saved you.

2. 1John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

B. His Church.

1. Many times you have heard me say that no church is any stronger than it's pulpit.

(a). A church can be no more sound than the it's pulpit.

(b). Any more knowledgeable than it's pulpit.

(c). And a church will show no more love than it's pulpit.

2. But on the other hand,

(a). A sound pulpit does not guarantee a sound church.

(b). A knowledgeable pulpit does not guarantee a knowledgeable church, I can't teach you if you are not here and I can't feed you if you refuse to eat.

(c). A loving pulpit does not guarantee a loving church, like anything else it is something you have to cultivate, and that means it is something you have to work at.

C. How Can An Individual Tell When We Are Leaving Our First Love.

1. When you start missing church services when you really could make it.

(a). Especially when you miss more services than you attend.

(b). If God's house and His people doesn't mean much to you, your love has waxed cold.

2. When listening to God's Word is a labor to you.

3. When you have more desire to watch TV than you do to read your Bible.

4. When recreation, money or anything else means more to you than trying to win souls to Christ or do any kind of work for the Lord.

(a). What do you do for the Lord?

(b). "I'm a Sunday School Teacher or I'm one of the officers of the church". I'm not asking what your job is, I’m asking if you're doing it.

(c). "I don't have a job in the church." Oh yes you do; if you are a member of one of the Lord's churches, you have a job, a responsibility, an obligation.

5. Take inventory, how is your love.

6. Are you putting this church in danger of loosing her candle stick?

D. Lost

1. Bro. Berry I'm not a member of your church, as a matter of fact,I'm not even saved.

2. If you are saved you should have your membership in one of the Lord's churches and you ought to be active in that church.

3. If you are not saved, do you realize that you are lost and headed for hell?

4. Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

 

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