Message outline 5th Mar 06

The Map



Restoring Your First Love - by Pastor Tong

Text: Revelations 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:
2I 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. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember 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. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He 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.

The pattern of the Letters to the Seven churches

1. Address: To angel of the Church in……..’
2. Attribute: These are the words of him…
3. Approval: I know your deeds…..
4. Accusations: Yet I hold this against you
5. Advice: ‘…or else I will come and...
6. Assurance: To him who over comes, I will
7: Appeal: ‘…let him hear what the Spirit says….’

Love is like a cough... you cannot hide it....

Our first love can diminish due to complacency, passage of time and pure neglect....

We are not only called to persevere and be faithful, we must rekindle the first love for the Lord.