Download... April 11, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
We have such an inheritance through Christ death and His resurrection! There is a need at times to resurrect collectively a people, just as with individuals. Throughout biblical history when God's people were in bondage, God directed His prophets to stir them to a resurrection spiritually. God desires our worship and is still resurrecting people in this way, in our current times. The enemy is seeking whom he may devour. Consequently throughout the ages, there have often been a people that have "fallen away." What will resurrect a people?
TEXT Revelations 2:4-6
[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 Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
This scripture was speaking of the church of Ephesus which had been a faithful congregation. Yet God saw fit to reprove them for their lack of keeping Him first. They were being reproved because other teachings were being allowed which God hated as with the deeds of the Nicolaitans. Too often today, this message has become largely irrelevant. When people spiritually lose their first love, God will remove the candlestick or their spiritual light. Churches or congregations of worshipers have been established then were fractured in their unity, when other teachings came in putting out their spiritual light. As this church in Revelation, we must have a memory of our first love. The loss of that first love written about in this 2nd chapter of Revelation, is the reason for this scripture's exhortation and the basis for this mornings text message... The Need To Resurrect A People.
II Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Our very spiritual existence depends on our standing and holding fast to our "first love." God, (as written Revelations 2) has somewhat against any who have fallen away from the fervency of their initial experience in Him. Those in question are instructed to repent and remember their first love. If you are still resurrected in your experience, "Thank God" and hold fast! God desires throughout different times and places to resurrect a people that have fallen away, and many times He has. What is necessary for a revival, or what will resurrect and revive a people? God tells the concerned to remember.. their first love. The same that applies on an individual basis, also applies collectively of a congregation of people. What else but to remember your first love,... stand, and hold fast. God will only bring revival then, when we hold fast and keep our place in Him first.
Have you been resurrected? This relates again collectively for resurrecting a people. What is the requirement for this to take place? There was first a spiritual falling away, for the need to be spiritually resurrected. Many times God's spirit has been poured out on the faithful that held fast, resurrecting any in spiritual need. Again a falling away must have first taken place for the need of spiritual resurrection. Beware the little tentacles of darkness trying to reach in and cause His faithful to "fall away." The faithful must heed this exhortation and above all not spiritually lose their first love. It is helpful to look back at your individual life to remember all the the sins and fleshly ways God has redeemed you from, to get a renewed encouragement for your experience and love for God. Then keep your love fervent and firm in your everyday memory, to increase the strength of your faith. It will help you to stand fast in the scriptural traditions.
Yet in all this, our confidence in preachers, teachers, etc. cannot be allowed to override your "first love." Your first love vitally needs to be fixed upon Jesus. To have a body of worshipers do any less, is to lose Christ candlestick of light from the ministry, allowing in a great darkness. A falling away then takes place as in this 2nd chapter of Revelation speaking about the church of Ephesus. Remember your first love,... as all the exhortations and traditions can not replace your foundational love in Jesus. If individually or a collective body lose their first love, and their biblical traditions fade away, Christ has commanded that they must repent and do their first works over, in order for the light to be restored. Other things so easily can move in and become more important. Then division will creep in, in attitudes, etc. The remedy is to remember your first love, repent, and return to your first works. Division is a true indication that those involved have left their first love, which makes necessary a return to Jesus to be restored.
II Thessalonians 2:1-11
[1] Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
[2] That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
[3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
[4] Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
[5] Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
[6] And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
[7] For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
[8] And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
[9] Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
[11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
verse 2 Don't be soon shaken in your mind and faith, for the day of Christ is always at hand. verse 7 The mystery of iniquity is already at work. verse 10-11 Losing their love of truth, caused them to believe a lie.
It is important to remember that Church is not a mere building, but a collective body anywhere of believers delivered from their sins, living holy by keeping Jesus as their first love. Do you know of a people that have "backed up on the light" that God had given them? God desires to resurrect them!
Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
People take pleasure in sinful things, because they substitute something else for their first love, rather than Jesus. This constitutes idol worship, to have anything other than Jesus as our first love. There is a "fleshly pleasure" in idol worship that increasingly leads to delusion. For a resurrection to take place, they must cease their idol worship and fleshly pleasures,.. and repent. Those resurrected must stand and hold fast to that first love placed in Jesus.
Even in the times of apostle Paul, almost as soon as the Church was established there were troubles. There were false teachings that were entering in to delude the Church. These people here were adding to the scriptures, non existent teachings, resulting in a "falling away" from their first love. Strong delusion then came in, to believe a lie. It is good to know that even though we may not always know the mind of God, we have anointed warnings and exhortations of His written word. There is always a purpose and reason for every part of God's inspired word that necessitates adhering to it, and to keep our first love in Christ. To do otherwise is to lose that first love spiritually. Some do not want to "stand fast," because they do not want their fleshly actions condemned.
Isaiah 55:8,9 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Yet people return to their own ways and thoughts, rather then have a godly fear to obey all of God's word. In effect, ...leaving their first love spiritually. There needs to be a willingness to let God "erase" all things that we hold dear, that might diminish our first love in Jesus. What will we allow God to erase? That will indicate where our first love is. We personally and as a people, need to humbly and fully surrender to God's will and thoughts. To do otherwise will cause God to remove the light He has given, bringing a delusion to our soul.
Revelations 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. The third part in effect through their darkness, fell away from the fullness of light once possessed. All those that are defined by the condition found in this verse, need to return to God as their first love, and let God write on the tables of their heart His will and ways. Already resurrected? Stand fast in all the light God has imparted. Again, God desires to resurrect a people who have left their first love!
Revelations 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. A needed resurrection will only come when hearts are scorched by the fire of God's Word and Spirit. God wants to resurrect and revive all who have fallen into darkness! The message of revival requires being "grounded" in God's word and spirit. It requires nothing less then to return to all that God has given of light, wherever people have "fallen away" spiritually. Those making fleshly ideas a test of fellowship, need to repent to be restored to their first love in Christ to be resurrected. Legalism, respect of persons, sin and etc., should never be resurrected! The strife of the flesh is a waste of time and indicates a losing of your first love. Every soul has begun in a sinful and ugly condition needing to be humbled and repented of, so Jesus sacrifice can be real and effective in their life. We must have come to that cross to gain that first love. Luke 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. This is a biblical account of one who repented and returned to his first love at his father's house of rejoicing. When a people will love and place God first, God can and will resurrect them! It is spiritually prudent to pray for revelation of all fleshly hindrances, to be able to give it up, so a needed resurrection and revival can come! God desires to resurrect a fallen people!
Rev. 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
