WEBVTT 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.280 Well, a very good morning to all of you. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:30.800 If you would open your Bibles at Revelation. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:52.960 To the angel of the Church of Ephesus, write the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:01:08.239 I know your works, your toil, your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and have found them false. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:15.920 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:23.840 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:31.760 Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:40.239 If not I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:44.640 Yet this I have yet this you have. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:50.319 You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:56.959 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:06.640 To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:17.439 Speaking of trees, up in Northern California where we lived, there was a beautiful orchid right next to close to our home. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:25.199 And it was about this time of the year that we started seeing the blossoms, the pink and white blossoms coming out. 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:26.719 A pretty sight. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:29.919 And we would always drive past it and make a comment. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:35.680 And a few days later, we got there and all the trees were bulldozed over. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:38.800 Roots ripped out of the soil. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:42.000 I was very bothered about this, so I started asking. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:47.360 And so I went to ask one of the farmers, why would somebody rip out all these trees? 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:54.000 And so the guy said to me, Look, uh, this orchard has become a liability to me. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:58.240 The input costs is more than the crop yields. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.240 So I had to rip it out and plant new trees. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:25.759 It seems very interesting that something that seems so alive and well was actually not productive, only to be ripped out of the soil a few days later. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:30.400 And this was indeed the case with this church in Ephesus. 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:39.759 The church in Ephesus, I think, had much in common with these trees, which became a liability. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:47.599 They were in fact not producing the crop the Lord Jesus Christ desire for it. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:04:04.400 I have a little outline for you to help me better communicate this passage to you, and the passage I would outline as follows: the commendation, criticism, correction, caution, and then the comfort. 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:08.240 Little background about the Church of Ephesus. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:20.959 It was in this economically thriving city at the seaport of Ephesus, and it had many religious shrines, including the temple, that grand temple of Artemis. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:28.399 Believe it or not, but this church was planted by the Apostle Paul and had some notable pastors. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:34.720 Timothy, Tychicus, and of course, later on, the Apostle John. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:46.720 This church was bustling with activities, and then this church was really good at defending biblical orthodoxy despite much persecution. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:05:01.839 This church was bustling with activity and vigorously pursuing doctrine and the truth, but the Lord Jesus was ready to uproot this church. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:07.920 This church was no longer fruitful because of one thing. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:09.600 Verse 4. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:17.680 But I have this against you that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:28.879 Tragically, this church ended up being uprooted because it failed to hear the cautions of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:37.839 But first, let's look at the commendation and then the criticism and then the correction. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:42.480 And by looking at that, you will say to me, here is a paradox. 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:44.879 Things just don't fit well. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:59.519 As Jesus does his analysis of the Church of Ephesus, he calls them to uphold doctrinal truth, but also to uphold biblical love without compromising one for the other. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:04.160 And some might say to me, that is impossible. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:05.839 That is a paradox. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:12.160 And hence the title of my message this morning is The Truth Love Paradox. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:15.120 First, let's look at the commendation. 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:17.600 Jesus commends them with favorable words. 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:24.639 He says there in verse 2, I know your deeds, your toil, and your patient endurance. 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:33.920 Jesus commends this church for being active and even proactive and doing many things in his name. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:44.399 Jesus noticed their good works and the excellence in which they have done things thus far. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:07:00.480 He further commends them for their doctrinal integrity and biblical discernment, because it says there in verse 2, you have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them false. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:03.199 This is a discerning church. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:17.600 Indeed, this church at Ephesus had an unwavering commitment to what we would refer to as biblical orthodoxy and doctrinal fidelity, to the extent that they were suffering for it. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:28.079 Verse 3, he says, I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:42.399 Jesus gave this church a glowing commendation for being unwilling to compromise or even capitulate under the pressures of a pluralistic society. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:51.519 Verse 6, he says there, yet you hate this, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:08:04.480 However, against the backdrop of a glowing review, the Lord Jesus does have this one criticism, and the criticism is that you don't love the way you used to love. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:12.800 But this I have against you, verse 4, that you have abandoned the love that you had initially. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:25.120 Jesus mournfully criticizes the church, for it might have become arrogant because of its sound doctrine, but it was sound asleep with regards to love. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:37.840 Jesus also mourned its sister church, the church of Pergamon, who boasted of love and tolerance, but were doctrinally becoming compromised. 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:43.600 Both churches were in a mortal slumber and they were facing judgment. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:51.120 The axe was indeed against the root for both the Church of Ephesus and the Church of Pergamum. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:57.519 For every tree that does not produce fruit will be cut down, the Lord Jesus warns. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:00.559 So what is Jesus after here? 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:08.720 Jesus is after a church that is doctrinally astute but also alert about loving its people. 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:22.080 Here's a corrective prescription that will follow, where Jesus gives a corrective action, a corrective prescription. 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:27.039 And by all looks of it, it is counterintuitive and even paradoxical. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:38.559 Because he says, do what you have done so far, but think about love. 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:49.360 And I would wonder what will happen today if we get some church growth strategist to do an assessment of the Church of Ephesus. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:56.720 But I wonder if they would not say something like this stop majoring on doctrine and begin majoring on love. 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:07.519 Or maybe a church growth consultant would come in and say, you've got to have this slogan, love unites, but doctrine divides. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:12.080 You see, people, your problem here is too much doctrine. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:14.080 Stop the doctrine. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:18.960 Start loving because love unites and doctrine divides. 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:24.159 But that was not the corrective prescription of the Lord Jesus. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:31.919 Jesus is desirous of a church that loves people because of doctrine. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:50.399 You see, Jesus is not after a church here that loves people more than doctrine, neither is he after a church that loves people more than doctrine, or doctrine more than people, but he is desirous of a church that loves people because of doctrine. 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:57.759 And so let's dig in to study the correction that Jesus gives them. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:02.159 How to correct their trajectory would be as follows. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:09.679 He says there you have to maintain your doctrinal integrity. 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:23.919 It's no wonder because 1 Timothy 3 15 says that the church of the living God is the pillar and the support of truth. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:38.399 Jesus wants this church to support and uphold biblical truth. 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:47.759 But we should not forget that Jesus has in his mind that the church should be a lighthouse of love. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:12:04.799 John 13, he says, by this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have a love for one another. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:07.840 Can you see it's not either or, it is both. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:11.120 Truth and love, love and truth. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:12.720 It is both. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:19.440 Both is to be upheld without compromising one for the other. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:20.960 Why? 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:27.519 Because Jesus desires a church that loves people because of doctrine. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:31.679 And these seem so paradoxical. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:34.080 It seems so paradoxical. 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:41.759 And how can it be possible that truth and love can be maintained at the same time? 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:51.200 Well, a few years ago I was at Salmonary and we were very poor, and one day this family gave us a wall clock. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:59.120 And I was very delighted about this wall clock because it was beautiful and it was expensive, I think, and so I took it home. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:00.799 Honey, look what I got you. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:05.200 We put the clock on the wall, everything mounted, and so on and so on. 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:10.559 Well, the next morning at about 6.30, I notice we're not going past 6.30. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:12.240 It just stays there. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:19.120 And the hour marker is actually moving, but the minute marker or the minute hand just stands there. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:20.480 And I'm like, what's going on here? 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:21.759 So I take the thing apart. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:24.960 Oh, it just came dislodged there a little bit. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.399 So I put it back. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:30.960 Next morning, same thing. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:44.639 I'm like, okay, we're either gonna run a half an hour early or half an hour late, but let's just leave it as it is because I'm kind of getting fed up with opening up this the the this clock uh after the third or fourth day. 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:48.720 And eventually my wife said, Look, this thing is worth nothing. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:54.000 It's not worth a decoration because uh, you know, it's broken. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:14:01.360 And it's not worth like a timepiece, it's worth nothing because it we have to guess. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:06.559 If the minute marker doesn't work, what what what what does it help? 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:09.279 Can you see where I'm going here? 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:13.120 Truth and love is like the hands on a clock. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.120 It's like a hands on a clock. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:22.240 You can't have one lagging behind the other, they have to work together in harmony. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:33.039 How do we practically love out truth and love side by side? 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:37.360 John fifteen will give us some indication. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:39.200 John 15. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:48.559 Verse 12, Jesus says, This is my commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:55.919 But then in verse 15, Jesus says, For all I have heard from my father I've made known to you. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:57.600 That is teaching doctrine. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:04.240 And then in verse 17, he goes back to saying, These things I command you so that you will love one another. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:07.679 Can you see the sequence there, dear brothers and sisters? 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:13.279 Firstly, Jesus commands his people to love one another. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:20.399 But then he says, You can love one another because I have taught you doctrine. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:31.440 And then he says, in fact, the purpose of me teaching you this doctrine is so that you will love one another. 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:44.080 There's a bit of a circular reasoning here, but the one has a foundation in the other, and then the other spurs on the next. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:57.039 Basically, what Jesus is saying here in John 15 is before we can love God and love people, we must first know and understand biblical doctrine. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:03.120 But doctrine in itself should lead people to love one another. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:14.159 Some people often say, well, we why do we need doctrine? 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:15.840 It's much simpler than that. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:17.759 Love God and love people. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:22.480 In fact, I was on the internet and I found a few churches with that slogan. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:25.679 We are here about loving God and loving people. 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:27.440 And then that is absolutely great. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.279 I have no problem with that. 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:34.720 But let's hear what this one seminary professor, Dr. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:36.159 Tom Hex, has to say. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:41.519 He says Christianity does not begin by telling us to love other people. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:47.039 Christianity also doesn't begin with a command to love God or others. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:51.919 It begins with the sweet doctrine of God's love. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:17:06.079 Unless truth is revealed to people first, from the pages of Scripture, there will be no understanding of what love is really about. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:14.640 1 John 4, 19 says, we love because he loved us first. 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:23.039 You see, we need to have an understanding of God's love before we are able to love him and love others. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:38.160 How do we expect people to live out loving God and loving people prior to teaching them about the human condition and Christ's sacrifice and Christ's obedience? 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:46.000 How do we ever understand what love is outside the doctrine of atonement? 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:53.440 For there is no greater love than this. 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:59.519 That someone laid down his life for his friends. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:12.319 You see, before we can start loving God and loving other people, and even to love on people, we need to understand some basic doctrine. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:25.680 People won't ever understand how a loving God can love a sinful people unless they're given the truths of the gospel. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:34.960 For this is love in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:41.039 You see, we get our understanding of love from the pages of Scripture. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:45.359 It comes from understanding of doctrine. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:58.559 There is no concept of love without understanding the good news, but there is no concept of love either if we don't begin with the bad news. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:07.119 There are none who are righteous, not even one. 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:10.000 And that's the bad news. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:17.039 Christ dying for us while we were yet sinners, that is the good news. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:19.119 Where do we find these? 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.640 In the pages of scripture. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:39.359 If churches comply to this love unites, doctrine divides mantra, they will leave people short from a real understanding what divine love is. 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:51.200 You see, any attempt at loving God and loving people without a doctrinal foundation will result in carnal sentimentality. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:54.400 Carnal sentimentality. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:59.839 It is a love that will stop short of showing people true love. 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:04.319 Here are the words of 1 Timothy 1 5. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:14.400 And Pastor Jeremy pointed this out to me in the Christian Standard Bible, which I've got it on the overhead for you. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:26.160 It says, now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:32.480 What is the goal of teaching doctrine? 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:37.680 Pops right out of the text. 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:42.799 The goal of our instruction is love. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:51.200 There is no love unless there is a theological foundation first. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:56.880 Doctrinal foundation must be laid down first for people to understand love. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:03.519 But then doctrine by itself is not for the sake of doctrine, but it must lead us to love. 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:17.440 Biblical doctrine is foundational, instrumental, but it is also the catalyst for loving God and loving the people of God. 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:28.799 We can say it this way: agape love is formed and framed by doctrinal truth, but truth itself is an incubator of love. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:46.000 If you have a classroom and you are teaching someone the deep doctrines of Scripture, it's not a classroom, it is an incubator for love. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:11.359 You have purified yourself by your obedience to the truth so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other. 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:16.799 From a pure heart, love one another constantly. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:29.519 If we surrender and submit ourselves to biblical truth, the result of that should be sincere brotherly love. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:44.079 The purpose of doctrine is firstly to purify the heart, mind, and soul for the purpose of expressing it in loving affection for God and His people. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:55.680 Remember therefore where you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:18.880 Jesus, here in his correction of the Church of Ephesus, says to them, I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:28.880 Then he says, Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen, repent and do the works that you did at first. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:38.640 Jesus is now talking about motivation. 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:44.720 He's talking about the primary motivation for studying and teaching doctrine. 00:23:45.759 --> 00:24:03.039 And thinking of this Ephesian church, some 40 years into its existence, there's this cry out and criticism against the motivations in which people were doing things. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:10.480 You see, the criticism is not about what they were doing, because Jesus says they do the works you did at first. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:14.240 Just keep on doing what you've done from the first day. 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:24.400 But the concern is rather not what you are doing, but why are you doing it? 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:26.720 Why are you doing it? 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:28.160 Are you doing it? 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:31.839 Are you motivated by a love for me? 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:40.960 All this ministry, all this teaching, all this apologetics that you are doing. 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:52.480 In the past, you did these things so very well because it was motivated by your love for me and your love for my people. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:25:09.759 This church, indeed, as pastor author Alexander Stroud comments, he says, their love for Christ and for one another had once motivated all they did. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:19.279 It brought joy, it brought creativity, freshness, spontaneity, and energy to their life and their work of ministry. 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:29.599 But instead of being motivated by love from the heart, their works now had become perfunctory. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:38.880 They were going through the motions, still doing the same thing, but there was one thing they have forgotten. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:40.400 Love. 00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:50.079 Loving Christ and loving the people of Christ was the thing they have forgotten. 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:54.720 So, what is the lesson here, dear brothers and sisters? 00:25:56.319 --> 00:26:07.200 Jesus says to this church, you keep searching the scriptures, keep studying the scriptures, keep learning, keep teaching, be noble, Bereans, but remember this. 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:16.319 At one point in time, you were primarily motivated by a love for me and a love for my people. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:22.720 My dear brothers and sisters, isn't it a bit of an infinite loop here? 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:29.279 The consequences of studying doctrine and teaching of doctrine should be love. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:34.000 But the motivations for studying and teaching doctrine should be love. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:40.000 I think Ephesians 3, 17 really captures this idea. 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:48.480 He says then verse 17 of chapter 3, it says, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. 00:26:48.640 --> 00:27:05.039 I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and the width and the height and the depth of God's love. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:13.920 And to know Christ that surpasses knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:15.839 A bit of an infinite loop here. 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:25.839 The deeper we study Scripture, the deeper we get an understanding of the depth and the height and the length and the width of God's love. 00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:32.240 But in doing that, we become, or should become, more loving. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:45.119 In fact, all study of scripture, all teaching of scripture is for the purpose that we can know the length and the width and the height and the depth of God's love. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:51.680 So that the people of God can be firmly rooted in love. 00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:54.480 And one author states it very well. 00:27:54.640 --> 00:28:09.440 He says, truth taught must translate into people rushing to their feet in practical kindness, humble service, brotherly affection, fervent hospitality, and tangible expressions of love for one another. 00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:28.319 My brothers and sisters, have we seen in the teaching of scriptures and the study of scripture people rushing to their feet in expressions of love, kindness, service, hospitality, and tangible expressions of love for one another? 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:41.680 In all reality, the deeper we plunge people into the depths of God's love, the greater the expression of love should be. 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:51.440 Someone comes to me and says, Oh, brother, we're studying deep theology, deep. 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:52.720 We go deep here. 00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:54.240 I'm like, great. 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.880 How deep is your love? 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.519 How deep is your love? 00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:06.880 The deeper you go, the you if you mine deep, you're gonna find the depths of God's love. 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:14.799 Which should make you turn to loving him more and love others. 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:24.319 My dear brothers and sisters, motivation. 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:29.119 Motivation is what it's all about here. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:51.519 He says there, do the works that you have done at first, but remember at some point, everything you did around here was primarily motivated by your love for me and your love for my people. 00:29:53.359 --> 00:30:00.480 You take love out of the picture, then Paul says we have become a noisy gone. 00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:17.119 My dear brothers and sisters, we might be teaching the same Sunday school classes, doing the same Bible study, uh hosting the same life groups for the past five or ten years. 00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:21.519 But have we noticed a deeper and greater connectedness with each other? 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:28.559 Have we seen deeper fellowship within our groups, or is the the there less of a connection? 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:35.839 Perhaps Jesus might say to us, go back. 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:42.000 Go back to the good old days and see what motivated us. 00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:49.839 Hebrews 10 24 speaks about a simple thing like church attendance. 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:55.839 I never thought that church attendance has something to say about our love for one another. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:01.519 Hebrews 10 24 says, Why do we come to church? 00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:03.599 We would say, Well, we're here to worship. 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:06.160 Of course, Anton is a simple question. 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:13.839 But Hebrews 10.24 says to us, let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:21.039 Therefore, we should not be neglecting coming to church. 00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:28.720 I would have never in the past connected faithful church attendance with love. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:35.039 You see, if we are driven by a love for God and love for the people of God, guess what? 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:37.680 We're gonna be where the people of God is. 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:39.359 And we can't wait. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:40.799 What day is it today? 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:44.160 Monday, oh, still another six days. 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:45.359 It's it's long. 00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:48.240 Can't wait. 00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:49.359 I want to love. 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:52.400 I want to stir up people to love. 00:31:56.079 --> 00:31:57.839 You know, statistics. 00:31:58.240 --> 00:32:00.480 There's always statistics to prove a point. 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:01.920 I understand that. 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:16.720 But the point that I want to prove here is that they say that the average family considers attending church 20 Sundays out of the year as regular attendance. 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:18.960 Well, okay. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:24.160 Pay your bills half of the year, see how that works out. 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:34.480 My question is, based on that statistic, has life gotten busier or has love grown cold? 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:37.599 Life is always busy. 00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:44.640 I mean, there was a time that you had to work a pump to get water out of the ground, right? 00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:46.000 And milk a cow. 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:49.759 Life has actually gotten very simpler, but we say, oh, life has gotten busier. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:53.599 No, love of self has taken the better. 00:32:55.279 --> 00:33:01.359 You see, this church of Ephesus has grown cold and it's live. 00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:15.680 My now, in the life of the church, it might have been a very big congregation with dynamic teaching and dynamic pastors and music and outstanding missions. 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:23.759 But it's essentially become a noisy gong because it has forgotten the primacy of love. 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:44.000 You see, a church that upholds truth and it upholds love and it practices and applies both is not a noisy gong, but it's more like a symphony. 00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:50.160 Think of truth as being the instruments and love as being the conductor. 00:33:50.880 --> 00:34:02.559 Instruments without a conductor will make sounds that is uncoordinated, resulting in a cacophony of indistinguishable sounds. 00:34:03.839 --> 00:34:18.960 But love is the conductor, it coordinates, it leads, it directs, and it harmonizes all the sweet sounds together in one harmony to produce sounds that are sweet to the ear and warming to the heart. 00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:37.199 My dear brothers and sisters, are we a congregation where all the sounds are in sweet harmony because it is held together and directed and coordinated by love? 00:34:39.280 --> 00:34:39.599 Dr. 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:40.159 D.A. 00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:44.400 Carson says something very interesting about this congregation. 00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:54.639 He says, While the Ephesian Church attempted to be a great witness for the truth, they have forgotten that love bears testimony to the truth. 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:10.480 They preserved the truth and witnessed courageously about it, but forgot that love is the greatest witness to the truth. 00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:19.840 Here's the caution of our Lord Jesus. 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:27.280 In verse 5, Jesus says, Remember therefore from where you have fallen. 00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:31.440 Repent and do the works you did at first. 00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:38.480 If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. 00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:40.719 This is serious business. 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:44.559 Well, we'll attend to it next week. 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.880 We'll make work of this love thing. 00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:49.840 You know, we're really about doctrine here. 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:52.480 You know, we'll do it later. 00:35:53.760 --> 00:36:01.440 Repent! Or I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:03.119 He says it twice. 00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:10.880 Jesus conscient then warned them to depart from this current trajectory. 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:14.480 Status quo is no longer acceptable. 00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:22.320 They need to correct and reconnect with the old ways of doing things. 00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:30.880 The old way was love permeated all that was done in the name of the Lord Jesus. 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:43.119 My dear brothers and sisters, I'm not sure at some point in life we start talking about the good old days. 00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:46.639 You know now you have transitioned. 00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:49.599 Okay, you're older than you think. 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:52.400 And I'm doing it. 00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:55.199 In the good old days, right? 00:36:57.599 --> 00:37:05.599 And so often churches would say, well, in the in the good old days we used to do this. 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:09.440 In the good old days, we used to spend so much time with each other. 00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:12.400 In the good old days, we had all these meals together. 00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:16.320 And the good old days we did this, in the good old days we did that. 00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:25.920 And you know, often, more often than not, these things fostered love. 00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:30.559 Not only did it foster love, it expressed love. 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:44.800 So we're not being sentimental when we say, let's think back on how we did things in the good old days and ask ourselves if love did not permeate all we did. 00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:55.599 There are many churches even today that have failed at this command to love and they have paid the price. 00:37:56.480 --> 00:38:07.280 You see, there were married churches, even churches today, who would pride themselves at saying, We teach sound doctrine, but they are sound asleep when it comes to expressing love. 00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:16.639 Beware, you will soon see a signpost at the entranceway saying, Echabot. 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:20.400 The glory has departed. 00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:31.360 Likewise, there are many churches, even churches today, who are priding themselves that they are loving on people with the love of Jesus, but doctrine has fallen by the wayside. 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:39.840 Those churches too will have a sign on their front lawn that reads, Ichabot, the glory has departed. 00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:48.480 Jesus is desirous of a church that loves people because of doctrine. 00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:55.039 To these churches, Jesus promises great comfort and great reward. 00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:56.960 He says there in verse 7. 00:38:57.280 --> 00:39:02.719 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 00:39:03.039 --> 00:39:10.800 To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:16.719 This is a difficult thing, this truth love paradox. 00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:22.960 It is not what is out there. 00:39:24.960 --> 00:39:41.920 But to the church that holds tightly to this apparent paradox of love and truth, those churches will be fruitful churches in the eyes of Jesus, and they will yield a harvest of souls, 30, 60, and some even hundredfold. 00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:53.920 And they will all see people granted to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. 00:39:55.280 --> 00:39:58.000 What is Jesus comforting this church in? 00:39:58.159 --> 00:40:15.199 Is if you do what I'm telling you to do, if you take to heart the things that I criticized you about, if you start changing and and and realigning your trajectory, then you will be a fruitful church. 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:23.280 And you will prove to be fruitful to others, and others will eat of the tree of life. 00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:35.519 We have gone through Christ's commendation, he's criticism, he's correction, his caution, and his comfort. 00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:38.639 And what is the lesson for us here today? 00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:42.400 Dear brothers and sisters, let me ask you this. 00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:44.960 Is it that we don't love people? 00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:48.639 Let's do some introspection here. 00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:50.960 Is it that we don't love people? 00:40:52.400 --> 00:40:55.039 Is it that we don't treasure doctrine? 00:40:57.840 --> 00:41:01.519 Or is it that we don't love the way we used to love? 00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:04.719 You see, there's scope of improvement. 00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:13.679 I asked this question to stimulate you to greater love. 00:41:15.519 --> 00:41:24.400 You see, if we sit here today, March 1st, 2020, and say, we as a congregation, we maxed out on love. 00:41:24.559 --> 00:41:27.599 We we've we we you can't go bet higher. 00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:33.039 This is the highest that you can go in loving people. 00:41:34.800 --> 00:41:38.000 And loving Christ, you can't do no better. 00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:41.440 Then the work is done, right? 00:41:46.320 --> 00:41:58.239 Christ may want us to think about are we are we as fervent and passionate and loving as we used to be? 00:41:59.199 --> 00:42:03.920 You see, then there's scope for improvement, say maybe not. 00:42:05.199 --> 00:42:08.320 Jesus says then, okay, it's simple. 00:42:08.880 --> 00:42:09.519 Repent. 00:42:09.760 --> 00:42:14.719 Remember where you went off on the wrong track and get back on track. 00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:19.599 And if you do that, I will bless you as a congregation. 00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:22.239 Very comforting. 00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:25.599 Jesus doesn't write us off, he encourages us. 00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:27.199 Let us pray. 00:42:43.360 --> 00:42:49.519 We have heard that you have died for us while we were yet sinners. 00:42:49.840 --> 00:42:59.599 You died on behalf of us so that we can be forgiven and be given of the tree of life. 00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:08.239 We thank you, Jesus, for exemplifying sacrificial love to us. 00:43:08.639 --> 00:43:12.960 Thank you for showing us on the pages of Scripture what love is. 00:43:13.199 --> 00:43:32.880 Thank you from beginning in Genesis showing us what love is, showing us in Exodus what love is, showing us in numbers what love is, showing us in the gospel what love is, showing us in the book of Revelation what love is. 00:43:34.400 --> 00:43:42.480 That you will love and embrace a sinful people is beyond my understanding. 00:43:43.519 --> 00:43:54.079 But I pray, God, in all our study, as we plummet ourselves into the depths of Scripture, may we plummet ourselves into the depths of your love. 00:43:54.400 --> 00:44:05.039 And may that cause us to rush to our feet, to express it in tangible forms of love for one another. 00:44:05.519 --> 00:44:08.000 We pray that you will help us. 00:44:08.320 --> 00:44:13.840 Help us to love like we used to love in the good old days. 00:44:14.159 --> 00:44:16.239 I pray this in Jesus' name. 00:44:16.480 --> 00:44:17.119 Amen. 00:44:18.320 --> 00:44:22.000 That concludes this sermon from Faith Evangelical Free Church. 00:44:22.159 --> 00:44:29.039 Our mission is to declare the Word of God and disciple believers into mature, devoted followers of Jesus. 00:44:29.280 --> 00:44:33.360 You can learn more by visiting our website at faithfree.com.