Sunday Service (2)

Sunday Service: What Matters Most

(05-15-2022) Ptr. Lynard Molo

=What Matters Most=

*Revelation 2:1-7
"1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:"

+angel: Greek = angelos (messenger) --> human messengers

+lampstands: church

"If God is in the center, everything will be in order."

2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

+deeds = affirmation or warning

3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

+Level of Service to the Lord (Church of Ephesus)
-Hard-working
-They did not compromise with evildoers.
-They showed patience and endurance in bearing up hardship.

+Church Levels
-Pastor/Missionary
-Committed Level Worker
-Contributing Level Worker
-Attendee

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

+Their work was no longer motivated by love.

*1 Corinthians 13:1-3
"1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

+Good words without love is NONSENSE.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

+Gifted, very spiritual but have no LOVE is useless.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

+Generous, willing to sacrifice but have no LOVE gains nothing.

What Matters to God?
YOUR LOVE

5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

+Get back to your honeymoon kind of love.

*Isaiah 62:5
"5 As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you."

*Jeremiah 31:3
"3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

*Jeremiah 3:20
"20 But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel," declares the LORD.

+Spiritual Adultery

*1 John 2:15
"15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

+tree of life: eternity
+God gives His bride an access to eat from the "tree of life".

To restore our First Love to God:
1. Meditate His Word daily.
2. Develop an open communication with Him.
3. Do His Will.
4. Whatever happens do not give up your relationship with God.