FIRST LOVE

For the past four weeks we have been studying the seven churches Jesus addressed in Revelation chapters two and three. The first letter was addressed to the church at Ephesus. If you are familiar with this text you know Jesus commends them on several points but he has one major thing against them, they have left their first love. That is, Christ no longer holds the first place in their hearts. If you continue to read all seven letters you can also conclude that the churches at Sardis and Laodicea suffered from the same spiritual problem, that somehow Christ had been replaced by other things and was no longer first in their hearts and lives.

Any true student of scripture knows God's word is timeless. It is relevant to every age. As I have given myself to study these letters once again I realize that congregations are still wrestling with many of these same problems today. The churches of Asia Minor were faced with the task of living faithful lives unto the Lord in the midst of a pagan society. Is this not our challenge today?

The greatest ache of my heart as a pastor is to see so many people continue to reject the good news of the Gospel and continue living in sin. The second greatest ache of my heart is to see so many people profess Christianity yet live lives that obviously do not love Christ first and foremost above anything else. I witness this loss of first love on a daily basis.

This is not a new problem. We know from scripture it has existed for at least two thousand years. I have witnessed it personally in my walk with Christ for the past twenty nine plus years that I have pastored. People profess their love for God but they find every excuse imaginable why they can't render service unto the Lord. They say they love Him but they would rather play or sleep than worship Him.

As a pastor I have no recourse. I can express my concern. I can even go so far as to admonish someone for their lack of faithfulness but my experience is that people don't generally accept such criticism very well. I cannot spank someone or put them in time out. I can't fine them. I can only remind them of God's love and pray that the power of His love will draw them back. But it is very obvious from the letters sent to the seven churches Jesus knows all things and He is keeping score. I do not pen these words to sound harsh. I pen these words not so much as a warning but a reminder in love, some day we will give an account of our decisions and deeds. It is within our power and ability to love Christ first, before all other things in our lives.

I too am a human being. I know how easy it is to let "things" and "stuff" take a priority in our lives. I battle this temptation everyday. I have had my failures. But I have also learned that Jesus must be first in all things. He must be considered and consulted in every decision and action of life. Some view this as restrictive and suffocating. I have come to learn the opposite is true. I have found that putting Christ first in all things is the safest and most liberating choice we can make. Think of all the trouble you might be in today. Who got you into that trouble, you or God? I think of Jonah. Jonah did not get into trouble by doing what God asked him to do. He got in trouble when he DID NOT DO WHAT GOD TOLD HIM TO DO!!!!! Has your life been any different than Jonah's? Mine has not!! My experience has been the same as Jonah's.

So who, or what, is your first love? You don't need me to tell you what the signs are if you are not where you should be in your relationship with Jesus. The still small voice of the Holy Spirit lets you know if you are where you need to be. That is His job and He does it far better than I ever could. So again I ask, who is your first love.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan