The church of..... [ 7 ]

One of best parts of a being a pastor is creating sermons. I get to look into the Bible and find hidden gems that God has for me. Pastor Victor came with a suggestion to do a series on the seven churches of Revelation. I have never done a sermon set on this topic and I am up for the challenge. The little I have studied so far intrigues me. We have understood what the seven churches represent in a historical and prophetic sense but what are they saying to us, God’s church? We live in the time of Laodicea, and it represents struggles of the current church, but we the people of this church are going through the struggles of all the churches.

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Revelations 2:1-4

Have you lost your “first” love? I am not talking about someone who you fell in love with, I am talking about the love you have for God. What are we doing? Why are we doing it? Are we just going through the motions? Have we forgotten why we strive every single day? Actions and behavior are nothing without the purpose for these actions. Do we have the Love of Jesus in our hearts? Is our daily inspiration a love song to our Savior? Are we walking by faith, or have we fallen into a rut and living day to day out of habit?

Any relationship can grow cold. As we spend time away from each other, and have actions that do not build connections. God is not a being in a far away space, He is ultimately a Being of relationship; God is Love. Ultimately, we find who we are in knowing the God who made us, and not only that, made us to “know” Him. Let our focus be sure; let us never take our eyes off the mark, it is the love of Jesus that will inspire us to live for Him. It is that Love that will create the eternity in our hearts that we shall never want to die, but live forever with the eternal Loving God.

Connected to the Vine,

-Pastor Danny