I would like you to turn your Bibles this morning to Ephesians chapter 6 verse 24.
! And Pastor Saul has rightly identified the fact that this is the last sermon at this point in the book of Ephesians.
Lord willing, next Sunday it will be my blessing and my privilege to join you in opening the book of John and beginning to preach in John chapter 1 verse 1.
I do want to explain by way of introduction that there is a reason that preaching in an expositional fashion begins with John 1 verse 1 or Ephesians 1 verse 1 and carries through to the end.
And that the timing of the sequence of sermons is not preordained.
I believe fully that the Word of God is to be taken in its entirety.
I believe that preaching, which is the passionate declaring of the truth of God, is to be something that fundamentally is dependent upon the text.
And at the end of the day, when I make a statement in the passage or in the process of preaching, one of the things that you should be able to do in every case is you should be able to connect that statement,
even where there is an illustration, it should have linkage back to the Scriptures themselves.
When someone comes to this pulpit, they come in some sense with an obligation, with a responsibility of saying,
Thus saith the Lord.
I am not an Old Testament prophet.
And the best I can do when I say, Thus saith the Lord, is say, Here it is.
You can read it for yourself and you can see what God has to say to you.
I want you to understand this morning that the words of God are supremely important.
We underestimate the importance of words other than when we are zinged and dinged by them.
Do you understand what I'm saying?
They fall sometimes all too carelessly from my lips and I would rather suspect from others' lips.
God has said that words are supremely important and I want you to understand that it was by His Word that the universe was formed out of nothing.
I think of one other illustration.
I was reading earlier in the book of Ezekiel where Ezekiel the prophet is given that very, very sad responsibility of making it clear to God's people that He's done messing with them
and He is going to discipline them for a long time.
I remember with my children that one of the things they wanted to know when we were going to the place of judgment.
How many of you know what I mean by that?
Our protocol in my family was that I would usually have to go and pray so I could kind of balance my thoughts and my heart and be reasonable in the process.
And I wanted them to spend some time deliberating upon the offense or issue and whatever.
And then we would come together and we'd have a little conversation and then I would go somewhere privately so we could deal with this more directly.
And one of the questions that my sons were more inclined to this, they were all about, so how many times?
Do you follow that?
How many times?
I would say to them, eventually it dawned on me, early on I'd say, well, there will be three.
And they'd be counting.
And they would kind of grit their teeth and take the three and it, how many of you know as parents that sometimes you know you're not getting through with three?
And I remember the first time that having given the diagnosis in advance when I decided it was time to add a few for the sake of impact, my son said to me, that's more than you said.
And that was the last time that I ever advised them in advance of what was coming.
In Ezekiel, God says you're going to catch it for a long time.
And Ezekiel is broken as he considers the burden of what God is going to do to his people.
And then God says, I want you to see this valley of dried bones.
We are having all kinds of microphone issues, and I am the contributor to most of them.
God says, I want you to see this valley of dried bones.
And God says to Ezekiel, can these bones live again?
I love what Ezekiel says.
King James, he says, thou knowest, Lord.
In other words, it's up to you.
I like that.
But then God says, listen, speak to them.
We underestimate the power of the word of God.
And so this morning, as we take this passage in hand, I ask that you pray.
That the Spirit of God may take these words and have them make a difference in your life.
Let me read them.
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Father God, we are right to be dependent upon your Spirit this morning.
And to plead with you with all humility and with confessed inadequacy that both the hearing and the declaration of the word of God,
apart from the power of the Spirit, are much like what is recorded in 1 Corinthians 13,
where it says, I'm just a clanging cymbal or a banging gong.
And so we would ask that you would take your word and that it would be heard by your people.
And the effect of your word on the hearts of people that know the Lord Jesus Christ
would be evident in the progressive transformation that is described in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 18,
that beholding as in a mirror the face of our Lord Jesus, we grow from glory to glory.
And that's by the Spirit.
And we ask this in your precious name.
Amen.
I guess it's no accident that Paul closes out the book of Ephesians with the word grace.
And that's what we find here.
Verse 24, it says,
Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
And I want to appeal to you this morning that while it is the last verse and this is the last sermon,
by no means should it be something that we kind of, well, let's get on with it.
We're going to do some other book later and move on through it.
No, no, no.
The words are supremely important to you today.
And the apostle, as he was instructed by the Spirit of God, said,
Hey, listen, I want to close off with this profound central thought in the life of the church at Ephesus.
And so here he is using the word grace.
And we recognize that it is a word that if I were to track its significance through the book of Ephesians,
we would find that Paul used it over and over again.
I will at least recognize for you that it's the way he began the book.
Over there in Ephesians chapter 1, I think it is in verse 3 or 2,
it says,
Paul, an apostle to the saints, grace to you.
And so I want you to understand that if we're really going to grasp the significance of this word,
while it's so brief and we have a tendency to gloss over it,
I want you to recognize that, first of all,
grace must be understood against the backdrop of man's condition.
The truth is, is before the Bible tells us the good news,
the Bible tells us the bad news.
It tells us the ugly reality of the heart that we have,
and it recognizes for us, whether we're inclined to it or not,
to grab a hold of the truth that apart from God doing something in us,
we are beyond measure, inadequate, insignificant, ineffective,
in bringing about anything of eternal value in our soul.
I want you to think with me of just how Paul plays this out,
and we want to take a look at Ephesians chapter 2, verse 1 through 5,
where we find a fairly robust argument to help us understand just how bad the news is.
I'm not going to take the time of fleshing all of it out,
but recognize as we look at this passage, Ephesians chapter 2, verse 1, it says,
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.
How dead is dead?
I want you to understand that dead is beyond any possible redemption,
or any remedy, or any resuscitation.
When a person is genuinely dead, they are absolutely incapable of doing anything at all.
The idea that some people have, that salvation is a partnering where God does something and man does something,
has no basis in Scripture.
Now, is it true that we are responsible for responding to the Gospel?
Absolutely, without question.
And the Scripture is clear on that.
But mark this, it is the work of God that makes us respondable.
And as we look at this passage and mark what it says,
Paul uses one of the very, very graphic indicators of just how bad the unregenerate heart is.
He says,
You were dead.
And dead men cannot help themselves.
He says,
How many of you, when you listen to the news,
find yourself appalled at the world we live in,
and the absolute depravity that you see everywhere you turn?
This last week, jets shot out of the sky by rebels or by Russia.
We don't know at this point the fact.
But mark it, what is going on now is that whoever was responsible,
instead of saying,
Man, I messed up,
and having a humble and a contrite heart and saying,
That was wrong to do.
Do you know what's going on?
Everybody's trying to do their best to cover what's going on and hide the truth.
And it's not just in Russia that that kind of behavior is going on.
The Bible makes it undeniably clear that we in our sinful state,
mark it,
we are dead in sins.
That's what we find in the passage.
We are slaves to Satan in our passions.
And furthermore, as we look at it here,
it says there in verse 3,
it says,
We were by nature children of wrath.
In other words,
we are doomed to eternal judgment.
Have you ever wondered why the unbelievers seemingly can get away
with some things that believers cannot get away with?
You ever remarked that?
The fact of the matter is,
is that the condemned man gets his last meal.
And God deals with his children on a profoundly different basis
than he deals with unbelievers.
He, for a large part,
allows unbelievers to kind of bumble along in their wickedness,
and eventually they face the judgment.
God, in his long-suffering patience,
allows far more than you or I would.
Now listen carefully to me.
Until we stop and realize how much he has allowed for us,
and then we are sympathetic,
and when we pray for those who are caught in their sin,
our prayer should be this way.
Lord, be as merciful with them as you have been with me.
Paul says,
listen,
the grace
that God has given to you
is something that is appreciated against the backdrop
of the darkness of depravity and sin.
There's another fact that I think we need to understand
as we think about the matter of God's grace,
and that is this,
that grace is Christocentric.
And what I mean by that
is that grace is all about the Lord Jesus Christ.
And understanding God's grace
and appreciating God's grace
cannot be separated from
getting a hold of the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ himself
and being affected by him.
Let me put it this way.
Grace
really refers to the unmerited favor and work of God
in Christ Jesus.
Let me have you look at a couple different passages
to kind of track this if you would.
And I strongly encourage you to follow in your own Bible
so you can allow the text
to resonate with your heart
and you can look at it
and identify what's being said.
Turn to Titus chapter 2 verse 11.
Titus chapter 2 verse 11.
For the grace of God has appeared
bringing salvation for all people.
Well, what was the appearance of grace?
Was it some kind of aura?
How many of you have ever seen pictures
of the Aurea Borealis
or however it's said?
You know, the wonderful night sky
over Alaska and over the polar region.
The grace of God that has appeared
is not talking about some kind of vision out there abstractly.
It's talking about the reality of the Christ himself
coming to us.
Over in John chapter 1.
See, you knew I would get there, didn't you?
John chapter 1.
It just happened to work out that way.
But John chapter 1.
I want you to listen
as we look at a verse
that we won't get to in the first several weeks.
Verse 14.
And the word became flesh
and dwelt among us
and we have seen his glory.
Glory as of the only Son from the Father
full of grace and truth.
That word full that is used there
talks about pleroma.
It means absolutely packed
with all there is of grace and truth.
Jesus Christ
was not a personification
of the grace and truth of God.
He is the fullness
of the grace of God.
It goes on to say in verse 15,
John bore witness about him and cried,
This was he of whom I said,
He who comes after me ranks before me
because he was before me.
And from his fullness
we have all received
grace upon grace.
grace.
You know what it's saying?
It is through the Lord Jesus Christ
that we have received
the fullness
of the grace of God
that is packed in
upon our lives
beyond measure.
How many of you
when you want to emphasize something
say the word more than once?
Your children.
You say this is really
what?
Really, really
important.
This is very, very
hot.
When we have hot food
we will say
to family members
that are eating with us,
this is,
you know,
this is the pleban
and this is the generic version
to be eaten by people
that are not of our persuasion.
But this,
talking about the curry
that's real,
is really, really hot.
Judith refers to it
as smoking.
Okay?
We emphasize
with kind of doubling up
and so
in John
the apostle says
we have,
from his fullness,
we have all received
grace upon grace.
It is in the Lord Jesus Christ
in his person
that we receive
the fullness
of what God has for us
and grasping that
means that our heart
is touched by the reality
and the sweetness
of the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In another way
we could say
that grace is the full
and effective
one-way love
of God
in Christ Jesus.
I want you to think
with me about that.
Grace is the full
and effective
one-way love
of God
in Christ Jesus.
Now I want you to think
with me about that
because for the most part
we have a great tendency
to have our love
governed to a certain degree
by what we're getting
out of the investment.
How many of you
would admit that publicly
and say,
that's me?
No,
we wouldn't.
But hey,
when people behave
in an unloving fashion
towards us,
what often happens
to our love?
What happens?
If it diminishes
significantly
then I would have to say
that that love
that we have professed
at one point
or another
really doesn't have
a close connection
with the love
that comes from Christ.
Christ's love for us
is a love
that is one way
in its affection
and care for us.
And I think it's important
for us to recognize
just the nature of this.
So when Paul here
makes that statement
that we enjoy
the grace of God
he is speaking about
the way in which
Christ loves us.
So when Paul closes off
this wonderful book
by using the word grace
as a summary
he really is using it
in one sense
to remind us
of the wonderful fact
that our salvation
is not the work
of human effort
and none of us
who enjoy
genuine conversion
can say,
hey listen,
and by the way
I earned that
you don't know
how much I suffered
to get it.
Those who appreciate
the grace of God
are always humbled
by the reality
that what they have
has nothing to do
with who they are
or what they've done
but they are struck
by the reality
that salvation
has come to them
by virtue
of the grace of God.
Well with that said
let's take a look
at the second part
of this passage
and mark that
God's grace
works in such a fashion
that it produces
a difference
in the heart
of the person
who is a genuine believer
and I think that
it's very interesting
that Paul
here at the very last
how many of you know
that when you're coming
towards the end
of your instructions
or your lesson
where your children
or whoever
you always try
to press it together
to make it pretty simple
so you can get their hand
they can get their hands
around it.
Grace
and then mark
what he says
be with all
who love
our Lord Jesus Christ
with love
incorruptible.
Grace
that is of God
produces
something
that Paul
wants us
to understand.
Grace
to those
who love
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Now let's stop
just for a minute
so that we again
can frame
this idea
what Paul
is saying
when he says
grace
to all
who love
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Does everybody
in the world
love Jesus?
What's the answer?
No.
Are there those
who actually hate
the Lord Jesus?
Yes.
I want you
to recognize
that Paul
has some
pretty strident
pretty militant
things to say
about this business
of loving Christ.
Turn back
in your Bible
if you will
you're in Ephesians
so turn back
to 1 Corinthians
chapter 16
verse 22.
1 Corinthians
chapter 16
verse 22.
2.
If anyone
has no love
for the Lord
can I read
the rest of it
and you'll
track with me?
Let him
be
accursed.
If anyone
has no love
for the Lord
let him
be accursed
our Lord
comes.
Now
our sign
out there
says Marantha.
It actually
is Maranatha.
Since my
email
has NBC
Columbus
on it
and someone
will say
well what
does M
stand for?
I always
opt for the
mother instead
of the
Maranatha
to explain.
It's like
mother
boy
cat.
I don't
go Maranatha
boy
cat
because
it always
kind of
flummoxes
them when
you give
them the
Maranatha
part.
I appreciate
the fact
that our
sign says
Maranatha
our Lord
comes.
I'm curious
if anybody
ever thought
about saying
if anybody
doesn't love
Jesus
they're cursed.
Put that
on the
sign too.
I mean
hey
we're being
pretty divisive
to split the
verse in
half right?
No well
it's alright
stop while
I'm ahead.
But
hey
loving Christ
is pretty
serious
business.
And Paul
as he
takes and
summarizes
the matter
of salvation
he says
listen
grace
brings about
a love
for the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
That's what
salvation
produces.
How do I
know
that I am
a child
of God
that I
have genuine
salvation
that I
am one
of his
and I
will spend
eternity
in heaven?
Is it
because
at one
point or
another
I said
Lord
and the
answer
is
not
necessarily.
Is it
because
at one
point
I was
baptized?
Not
necessarily
and it
will be
our joy
this morning
to hear
the testimony
of a young
lady
and see
her be
obedient to
the Lord
in a matter
of baptism.
But is
her salvation
dependent upon
her going
through that
motion?
The answer
is no.
Salvation is
the work
of God
and the work
of God
produces
something that
can be
identified and
we look now
at this passage
and recognize
the character
of saving
and keeping
grace.
As we take
up the last
part of this
text we see
that Paul puts
a great deal
of weight on
the idea
of love.
Not in an
abstract sense
but in a
very real
and practical
way.
Now you'll
remember the
great commandment
in Deuteronomy
chapter 6
verse 5
it says
Hear O Israel
the Lord
our God
the Lord
is one
and you
shall
love him.
I remember
in an
earlier
day
I was
a teacher
in a
Christian
school
and our
president
of that
Christian
school
a sweet
man
named
Ralph
Bainham
would get
up almost
on a daily
basis
and his
how many
of you know
that sometimes
we fall
into standard
patterns of
praying.
Some people
cannot start
their prayer
out with
something like
dear heavenly
father
it's like
hitting the
starter key
you know
can I pray
without saying
dear heavenly
father
Ralph could
not pray
without saying
we love
you today
and I
have to tell
you as a
young man
sitting there
I had to
believe that
it wasn't
true of all
of us
because we
is what
we is more
than I
and I
knew some
of the other
jerks that I
was working
with all
their Christian
I knew some
of their
hearts and
and I knew
some of the
little disputes
and little
petty things
going on in
lots of our
lives and I
thought we
love you today
I wish
Paul says
this he says
hey listen
grace to
all who
love the
Lord Jesus
Christ
and when we
stop and think
about it we
recognize that
this business of
loving God is
pretty serious
Mark chapter
12 verse
28 through
31 and I'm
not going to
go there but
mark it for
you in Mark
chapter 12 we
have an attorney
come to Jesus
and said all
right all
right
which is the
big law
which is the
big one
keep that
one
now understand
that the
Jews had
developed this
system
where I
think they
had a total
of 618
laws
I mean you
have the
Ten Commandments
that are the
biggies
but under the
Ten Commandments
there were
kind of
categories
there's
sub
categories
and really
if you're
into
keeping the
law
I mean it's
not like you
get to do
some and not
the others
we're all
about that
but really
keeping all
of it
and everybody
reckoned
oh let's
go for the
biggies
the ones
that are
important
so they
came to
Jesus
and said
all right
which is
the biggie
and you
know what he
said
he didn't
say keep
the Sabbath
he didn't
say tithe
he didn't
say show
up at
services
he says
love
God
love
God
I want
you to
understand
that the
grace that
saves is
also the
grace that
changes
and the
power of
God that
changes the
sinner from
being a
crass lover
of self
into a
lover of
Christ
is the
salvation
that we
mark and
recognize
as genuine
so let me
stop you here
just for a
second and
ask you to
look at that
little phrase
who love
the Lord
Jesus Christ
I wonder if
as you think
about your
salvation you
would say
the real
marker
the thing
that sets
me apart
from the
rest of the
world is
that I do
sincerely love
Jesus Christ
that's what
Paul's saying
he's saying
a real
believer
one who has
received the
fullness of
God's grace
can be
ultimately
characterized
by the
fact that
they love
Christ
I want
you to
understand
that
loving him
is not a
simple
discipline of
the intellect
do you
understand that
how many of
you have
decided to
love people
more
just kind
of arbitrary
you realize
you're a little
on the south
side of this
thing and so
all right
let's try a
little bit of
better love
for other
people
what happens
the minute
you make that
conscious deliberate
decision
at least for me
here's how it
plays out
I make that
decision and
the Holy Spirit
says hey
let me test
you
and I'll be
sitting in the
family room
thinking you know
you know I
want to work at
love but I'd
rather work at
people that are
in Africa or
India and my
wife is sitting
there as I'm
kind of relaxing
she says would
you get me a
drink of water
you got to be
kidding me
are your legs
broken
hey love
right right
how many of you
understand that
the test plays
out in real
time right
where you are
I want you to
look at
1st John
chapter 4
verse 19
as you think
about this
matter of
love
1st John
chapter 4
verse 19
we love him
because what
because he
first loved us
here's the
truth
the grace
of God
that has
appeared
bringing salvation
to all people
takes those
who by nature
prior to their
conversion
were self
focused
naval
gazers
and turns
them into
people who
from their
heart
love the
Lord Jesus
Christ
he loved
us enough
that he
pursued us
in our
selfish
arrogant
stubborn
belittling
character
and he
found us
where we
are
he wrapped
his arms
around us
and he
saved us
by his
kindness
and his
grace
paid the
price
for our
sins
upon the
cross
and has
granted us
everlasting
life
and Paul
says
hey listen
grace
to all
who love
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
I want
you to
recognize
that
that being
a person
who loves
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
has very
real
effect
on the
way in
which we
relate to
other
people
isn't
that right
let's go
back just
for a
little bit
to Ephesians
chapter 6
verse 21
very
interesting
the way
Paul closes
off this
this very
very theological
book
Ephesians
chapter 1
through 3
is perhaps
one of the
most theological
expositions
of the
the nature
or the work
of God
in salvation
it's deep
and heavy
the last
three chapters
are about
how
God
having worked
our salvation
works to
amend
and transform
our behavior
the closing
statements
he makes
in Ephesians
are about
the matter
of love
so that
you also
may know
how I am
and what
I am doing
Tychicus
the beloved
brother
and faithful
minister
of the
Lord
will tell
you
everything
I've sent
him to
you for
this purpose
that you
may know
how we
are
and that
he may
encourage
your hearts
Paul's saying
hey
I just
as I've
stopped
this letter
I want
you to
know
I love
you
and then
verse
22
or 23
peace
be to
the brothers
and love
with faith
characteristic
of genuine
Christian
fellowship
as a love
for one
another
that transcends
what the
unbelieving
world
understands
the unbelieving
world is very
limited in their
comprehension of
love and it is
largely self-serving
I had the
wonderful opportunity
this last week
of talking with
an individual
who called in
way in advance
normally most of
my premarital
wedding calls
are March
April May
this person
called and said
I'd like to
talk to you
about a wedding
in 15
I thought
we're way
ahead
and as I
began to talk
it became quite
evident that this
person also needed
to hear the sweet
truth of the Lord
Jesus Christ
and the gospel
and I explained
to that person
there's a fundamental
difference
now both a
civil marriage
and a church
wedding
can accomplish
in some senses
something
somewhat similar
they're both
binding
in the court
I said
the difference
is that a
civil wedding
is a contract
where both
parties whether
stated or
otherwise
are kind of
agreeing that
well I'll do
this if you'll
do that
I'm amazed
at how many
times I bump
into people
who think
that marriage
and love
is all about
kind of a
50-50 bargain
that's not
the Bible's
view
the Bible
sees marriage
as a one
way covenant
I'm going
to do
this
for better
or for worse
sickness
and in
health
richer
for poorer
and then
there's that
little statement
at the end
how's it go
till
death
do
us
part
after I
came back
from
Caleb and
Charity's
ceremony
on Friday
night
I happened
to stop
by and
went into
the nursing
home to
see dad
and mom
and found
that they
were sleeping
I didn't
awaken them
but I
noticed that
my brother
had pushed
my dad
over next
to my
mom's
bed
that's
covenant
work
that's
not a
contract
and that
kind of
love
is what
Jesus
does
in the
life of
a person
who's
transformed
by grace
do you
understand
that
Ephesians
makes it
clear
that when
the work
of God
is at
play
in our
life
it makes
a difference
in the
relationships
we have
and so
as you
look at
this
passage
I want
you to
understand
that
the
apostle
is kind
of
bringing
things
to a
close
and he
says
listen
he wants
us to
understand
grace
this
undeserved
richness
the work
of God
in saving
you
produces
a love
for
Christ
how do I
know I'm
saved
I have
a love
for Christ
that I
didn't
create
he did
so do
you really
love him
do you
really love
him
mark the
last little
part
actually
very
interesting
statement
it says
with love
incorruptible
I actually
as I was
thinking about
this
last week
I kind
of thought
about
being a
juvenile
I love
lots of
people
girls
so we
get this
clear
you know
I remember
in fourth
grade
losing my
way for
the first
time in
memory
because I
walked home
following
Wanda
Cooper
I remember
her name
how I
got home
I have
no idea
but Wanda
I found
out later
she was
a Presbyterian
and that
wouldn't work
for a
Baptist
so I
stopped
my
interest
but
Wanda
swept me
off my
feet
fourth
grade
and
it was
the first
time I
was lost
I do
want you
to know
that
ever since
then
it's
been
downhill
you know
I remember
actually
this is
the truth
sitting in
a field
on a
hillside
with
daisies
around me
and I
thought
I was
trying to
figure out
if Claire
Blickenstaff
loved me
at that
point
so I
went to
the flower
routine
how many
of you
understand
the flower
routine
okay
it's
embarrassing
but you
know
there I
was
she
loves
me
she
loves
me
not
but you
know
I
figured
out
that
you
know
being
that's
a
binary
formula
I
could
figure
out
that
she
always
loved
me
do you
know
how
I
did it
it
was
either
2 4 6 8
whatever the
pick and
it worked
out but
she actually
didn't so
flowers didn't
play out
there were
lots of
reasons not
to love
me
our love
is a
relatively
fickle
thing
isn't it
I can't
tell you
how many
times I've
had couples
in my
office and
I'll have
the husband
or the
wife say
well I
don't
love her
anymore
and I'm
happy to
say that's
not a
problem
to
Jesus
do you
follow
that
I'm
not
concerned
if you
don't
love
her
because
that's
your
problem
that's
not
hers
and
I
can
tell
you
that
Jesus
can
fix
the
attitude
you
have
love
that is
incorruptible
is love
that comes
from
God
and is
sustained
by
God
and that's
love
that is
his
and never
changes
it's a very
interesting way to end
this book
do you follow that
do you know how the book
begins
chapter 1 through 3
is fairly robust
in its argument
for the
unconditional
affection
for God
of God
for individuals
that he saves
and he ends
off
kind of
challenging us
to think
pretty seriously
about whether
we have it
or not
that's
interesting
isn't it
do you really
love him
unconditionally
or is
your love
something
that
well look
at it
grace be
with all
who love
our Lord
Jesus Christ
with love
incorruptible
What's
your love
like?
Can you
track the
fact that
it has
grown over
the years?
Can
you?
Can you?
in Revelation
chapter 3
you remember
that the
spirit of
God
actually
Christ
comes
to the
church
there
at
Laodicea
not Laodicea
church at
Ephesus
I think
it is
and he
says
you have
lost
your
first
what?
Love
What's
your love
for Christ
like this
morning?
If you
are his
child
he is
at work
and has
been at
work
and will
continue
working
to cause
you to
grow
in your
love
for him
do you
realize
that?
That's
what he's
going to
do
now listen
to be
carefully
so you
don't
miss
this
it's
a whole
lot
better
to come
along
willingly
saying
I
want to
work
at that
I
need
help
at
that
I
really
want
to
take
this
seriously
let me
continue
to
grow
in
love
because
if
you're
his
child
and
you
decide
I
don't
care
right
now
now guess
what he
does
to the
I
don't
care
right
now
crowd
everybody
here
who
has
any
miles
on
their
tires
knows
that
the
I
don't
care
right
now
can
cause
him
to
do
what
we
sing
that
song
oh
love
that
will
not
let
me
go
when
does
it
become
evident
that
he
will
not
let
you
go
it's
when
you
try
to
walk
off
and
do
your
own
thing
for
a
little
the
apostle
says
I
want
you
to
understand
grace
to
all
who
love
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
with
love
incorruptible
!
Is
that
you?
Is
that
you?
That's
a fair
question
let's
close
in
prayer
Father
God
without
question
this
morning
as we
take
this
word
and
handle
it
by
your
grace
and
power
we're
overwhelmed
to stop
and realize
that while
we were yet
sinners
Christ
died
for us
and
he
and his
love
pursued
us
while
we
were
unloving
and
unlovable
while
we
were
yet
burdensome
and
dark
and
by
your
grace
you
have
taken
hearts
that
were
stony
cold
and
dead
and
you've
made
us
to be
lovers
of the
living
God
and we
need to
confess
that sometimes
our love
gets cold
and
self-consuming
and we
are so
very
thankful
that you
will not
let us
go
and you
continue
helping us
grow
we want
to be
quick
to
confess
the frailty
of our
affections
and ask
your spirit
to work
to stir
our hearts
up anew
to
remember
that it's
all of
grace
and you
are the
one that
is
supremely
worthy
and we
ask that
you do
that this
morning
in your
precious name
amen
so